BIOGRAPHY

Carlos Donjuan was born in San Luis Potosi, Mexico in 1982 and has lived in Dallas, Texas since the age of 3.

As a child in school, Carlos quickly found his passion for drawing cartoons, Lowrider Cars, comic book characters and animals. During middle school and high school, he discovered his love for graffiti and mural art to express himself. He soon combined these passions with more traditional art teachings that he received from his high school art teacher Mr. Filberto Chapa. Donjuan immersed himself with learning about art techniques and art history while creating his own path and style. 

Carlos later studied under Marilyn Jolly at The University of Texas at Arlington. Professor Jolly’s guidance pushed Donjuan to become a stronger more professional painter and soon received his Bachelor’s of Fine Art. After his undergrad studies he attended The University of Texas at San Antonio where he earned his Masters Degree in Fine Art. Donjuan worked closely with Professors Ken Little and Ricardo Armendariz, who challenged him conceptually and technically. His professors pushed Donjuan to better understand who he was in a deeper level, which contributed to the work he was creating. 

After completing his studies, Donjuan became a professor at The University of Texas where he is currently teaching. He has exhibited in galleries and museums on a national and international level. Carlos Donjuan has been in group shows and solo shows from Texas, California, New York, France, Spain, and Italy to name a few. His work is also part of the Cheech Marin Collection, which is the largest Chicano Art Collection and is now its own museum. The Cheech Museum is the first Chicano Art Museum of its kind.  

Although Carlos has focused most of his time in the studio, he has never lost his love for painting murals. He works with the collective Sour Grapes, which include his two younger brothers and some childhood friends. Donjuan has painted murals, hosted workshops, and mentored at risk youths through the collective. This is a way for Donjuan to give back to the community through his mentoring and murals. He has always had a strong love for his neighborhood because it one of the main driving forces behind his work.