About Larry Ortega

Meet Larry Ortega

Canvas Rebel Stories & Insights July 21, 2025

The Obliq Artist

Reflective writing is not commentary on the work. It is the work.

My writing functions as a parallel studio, a place where faith, doubt, discipline, and vocation are examined in real time. It draws from scripture, lived experience, entrepreneurship, and the long arc of making. These writings document the interior labor behind visible forms: the seasons of obscurity, the thresholds of change, and the cost of sustaining a creative life with integrity.

Like sculpture, the writing is shaped through pressure and refinement. It maps the unseen terrain that gives rise to form, light, and structure. In this way, language becomes a material, a tool for clarity, confession, and orientation.

The work across sculpture, image, and writing forms a single practice: a record of becoming, attentive to where light appears and what it asks of us.

Chrysalis

Read the Canvas Rebel Interview

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Larry Ortega. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Larry below.

Alright, Larry, thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it, and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

The Story Behind My Mission as an Artist

I was trained to see with my eyes, but I’ve always created from what I sense in the unseen. As a classically trained painter and self-taught sculptor, my hands have spent decades shaping the physical. But over time, I began to feel called to map something more profound—something spiritual, intangible, yet deeply real. This is the heart of my artistic mission.
My work in digital and AI art opened a new portal for storytelling. I use technology not as a gimmick, but as a tool—like a brush or chisel—to illustrate the spiritual truths that have shaped my life. These images aren’t copies or filters. They are original compositions that start with my sculpture, photography, and textures, often layered with fragments of biblical language or symbols drawn from ancient cultures. Every piece is an invitation to see beyond the surface—what I call spiritual cartography: mapping the invisible terrain of belief, wonder, and calling.
Spirituality isn’t just a theme in my work; it is the engine. I create because I believe I was created. That truth grounds me, anchors me in a world full of noise and distraction. It gives meaning to every story I tell—whether it’s a pillar of fire rendered in glowing resin, a modern-day parable shaped through AI illustration, or a visual metaphor born from desert twilight. My work is an echo of the ancient story: we were formed from dust, but breathed into by God. We are image-bearers. And as an artist, I bear witness to that image.
This mission—to tell stories that illuminate the journey of faith and the beauty of the sacred—guides every medium I touch. From the desert to the digital, from the sculpture studio to the page, I am tracing the invisible paths that connect heaven and earth. My art is a kind of offering, a torch held up in the wilderness to help others find their way.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights. We have a few more questions for you, but before we proceed, could you take a minute to introduce yourself and provide our readers with some background and context?

Mapping the Invisible Through Art

I’m Larry Ortega—sculptor, storyteller, and what I call a Spiritual Cartographer. My work blends classical painting, illuminated sculpture, and AI-powered digital storytelling. I use botanical forms to create molds, such as agave leaves and totem poles made from cacti. Then I cast resin, mixed with powders made from rare-earth minerals, resulting in luminous forms that stand in stark contrast to the darkness. These aren’t just art pieces—they’re spiritual markers meant to guide, reflect, and awaken.

I believe that art tells a story. Over the past few years, I have begun creating AI-generated art, utilizing images of my sculptures and the power of language to develop a new storytelling tool—one that enables me to illustrate spiritual and symbolic narratives in a fresh visual language. Many of my digital works begin with photographs, primarily of my sculptures, evolving into layered, dreamlike images that speak to the sacred and the unseen. https://larryortegatheobliqartist.substack.com/

Together with my wife, artist Sandra Ortega, we built Obliq Art, which began as a brick-and-mortar gallery in downtown Phoenix. The gallery provided a place for local and regional artists to showcase their visual art. Gallery LUxx space served as a gallery for solo art shows and other events, including poetry, theatre, and community gatherings.

Obliq Art evolved over the years. Sunnyslope, where our studio/home overlooks the valley, hidden in a box canyon next to the Phoenix Mountain Preserve, became the center of my attention. Our studio/home was a perfect venue for small parties, which we called our Soiree series of events. We’ve also hosted plein air festivals, intimate dinners, and evening gatherings for professional creatives. These events allowed us to showcase our work and build a connected, spiritually grounded creative community.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

What helped me build my reputation wasn’t just the work itself, but the way I presented it.

First, I committed to making meaningful, not just marketable, art. From the beginning, I’ve created with a sense of purpose—my sculptures, events, and AI-driven visuals are all rooted in a deeper narrative. People sense that. They feel the intentionality. I don’t separate the art from the story or the spirituality behind it.

Second, I invested in community, not just visibility. Whether hosting Soirées in the Desert, studio tours, or immersive gatherings, I’ve always sought ways to create a shared space where art, conversation, collaboration, and spiritual reflection intersect. All my events became times of connection—people remembered not just what they saw, but also how they felt. The invitational Soiree series of events was exclusive and featured my signature theme of Food, Fashion, Music, and Art.

Third, I’ve never been afraid to evolve with the times. I embraced digital tools like AI, not to chase trends, but to extend my visual language. That willingness to innovate—while staying grounded in timeless themes—helped differentiate my voice in a saturated market.

Ultimately, my reputation grew because I stayed true to what I believe: that art can be a spiritual encounter, a visual pilgrimage, and a light on the path. When that truth is at the core of your work, people recognize it, and trust follows.

Are there any books, videos, or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

“Larry Ortega on the Books That Shaped His Creative Leadership”

As an artist and event host, I am a businessperson, and I realized that creating meaningful work requires more than vision. It takes strategy, discipline, and a deep sense of purpose. Four books have profoundly shaped the way I lead, build, and create:

Blue Ocean Strategy provided me with the language to describe what I was already doing—stepping away from crowded, competitive spaces to create something entirely original. It helped me carve out Obliq Art and our Soirées in the Desert as something undefinable, a space of their own.

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield reminded me that Resistance is real—and that real creatives show up regardless. That book turned me from a dreamer into a disciplined maker.

The Bible is the foundation of everything I do. From the story of Moses to the parables of Jesus, it has shaped how I think about calling, leadership, and the sacred role of the artist as a guide and witness.

Jordan Peterson’s work brought structure and clarity, reminding me that meaning comes through responsibility and that chaos isn’t something to fear but to transform.

photo of gallery opening

Lights Out at Arts HQ Galleryhttps://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/arts/arts-hq-gallery-in-surprise-illuminates-works-of-local-talent-14317539?fbclid=IwAR2ryMoy3tw2Ga6uSaBVaVFEv10At9DFwCIvj9w1lN5QcoRg5REnfKOx8oU