Mirrors or Gold: Sketches by Manuel Izquierdo

Manuel Izquierdo almost never leaves home without his easel. For him, painting comes as naturally as having lunch or a conversation.

The artist studied at the Repin Institute of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture in Leningrad. He still remembers the northern forests and quiet mushroom picking walks – simple things that he says teach you to see the world in detail.

Today, Izquierdo lives and works in the town of Huaquillas, Ecuador. He paints among the passersby on the street, on the waterfront, and by the sea.

Teaching is another vital part of his life. Manuel founded the San Petersburgo Academia de Arte, where children work side by side with their teacher, setting up easels, mixing paint, and learning to see familiar things through an artist’s eyes. From his students’ sketches, Izquierdo can immediately see who has begun to gain a sense of line and color.

The film is a series of études about the artist’s life – his work, passions, and family. It’s about how he keeps learning himself while teaching others to see beauty in the world.

Watch “Mirrors or Gold: Sketches by Manuel Izquierdo” on RTD website and on RT’s live feed. The time of the broadcast is available on RT’s schedule page.