Josie Del Castillo is a Brownsville artist who received her Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, in Edinburg, TX in Spring 2020. Del Castillo has exhibited throughout the Rio Grande Valley, and other Texas cities like Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Dallas, and Lubbock, and most recently in galleries in, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and New York City. Del Castillo’s work consists of a series of self-portraits and portraits of others who she perceives as reflections of herself and a source of human inspiration. Personal and emotional connections are often symbolically made to capture the essence of each of her subjects.
Much of her work often deals with the appreciation of the female figure, growing up in the Rio Grande Valley, and learning to live with anxiety. Trying to understand these issues on a personal level, Del Castillo evolved into a journey of self-acceptance which has become a critical component of her work. Del Castillo, who has struggled with issues of body image and self-esteem, finds that being a portrait artist has given her a greater appreciation of the human form and has helped her gain self-confidence and personal awareness.
Del Castillo’s work consists of vibrant and colorful depictions of her subjects and herself. Many of these works often include Mexican American cultural iconography, friends and family raised in the Rio Grande Valley, and nature elements such as plants and palm trees.
