Aldrin, Andres (1889-1970)

Self Portrait (1966)
  Never wishing to cease in his aspirations, Aldrin continued to work even when he was hospitalized at the Veteran's Administration Hospital in San Fernando for long periods during 1967 and 1968. He was no longer interested in exhibiting his work, turning down two galleries' offers to do so. He lacked energy and could no longer see the purpose. Fortunately he regained his health enough to enable him to make one last trip to Sweden in 1968. Continuing to explore new possibilities in his art, in 1969, the year before his death, he began to work in acrylic, finding it to be a "marvelous medium in which you can get any color effect you wish."

"…nothing gives me so whole a joy, as good art. It makes life dimensional like a religion, a background of emotional stability expanding one's greater self. But it also makes us hostile to all mediocre art or painting, and we constantly try to hold that feeling down so as not to hurt our surroundings or its followers." 

  Anders Aldrin, March 1959

The work of this man is a declaration of independence from the styles and manners of his contemporaries..." 
--Millard Sheets  These words, spoken by Anders Aldrin when he was seventy years old, epitomizes his life philosophy which he faithfully followed. A consummate artist, who did not begin his studies until he was thirty-four years old, he soon garnered respect and admiration from his peers without any solicitation. His highly individual work did not fit into any art movement, no dealer promoted his work, and few works were sold by the artist himself. Yet his commitment to his art, his life's occupation, never faltered. It was his destiny.