I started to study drawing and painting under Amaro Crisóstomo in 1987. He taught me how to discipline my drawing, and the mixtures of colors (with the pallet under influence of academic painting). He was a strict master who demanded a lot from me in the learning process. I remember spending, many times at his home/atelier in Amparo neighborhood, in Olinda, two or three hours in the midday sun to draw in detail a branch of poppy. Many, many drawings which were evaluated by the rigorous eye of the master (who was very rarely happy with the results).

We spent many, many afternoons drawing and painting and talking about art, about life.. From that time, I have kept these attributes: seriousness, discipline, persistence and an eternal gratitude to that master.
After two years studying under "Mister" Amaro, I felt the need to experience other languages, other techniques, so I did a two-year course at MAC (Contemporary Art Museum of Pernambuco), where I studied under Reginaldo Esteves, José Carlos Viana, Liliane Dardot, Delano, João Cãmara, José de Moura. As time went by,
I started, with some difficulty, to "relax" my drafting, which meant reaching the freedom of expression I desired. That MAC initiative was extremely important, in my opinion, to establish a movement around the plastic arts in Olinda, making the contact between news artists and famous artists easier.

After that stage, I began painting landscapes with Marcelo Peregrino (between 1989 and 1993), which was a time of high output. We painted Olinda, Recife, field landscapes, and marine landscapes thoroughly. I have a lot memories of that time. Sometime later,I met the Artist Sandro Maciel, who painted fruit, palm trees, wonderful pictures, with whom I started to paint landscapes - sometimes together with Marcelo. We did many paintings in the countryside, sometimes spending a whole day working, doing a painting after the other.

I also had the privilege of meeting Maria Carmen and frequenting her atelier/home. She has impressed me until today with an atmosphere of mystery that involves her paintings. It is a house where art is everywhere. Since my first exposition, together with Marcelo Peregrino, I have had the good fortune to get support and incentive from artists to whom I am forever grateful: Maria Carmen, Marcos Cordeiro, Baccaro, Tereza Costa Rêgo, Guita Charifker, Marisa Lacerda, Tiago Amorim, Luciano Pinheiro, Marcelo Peregrino, Sandro Maciel. ... and from art dealers with whom I have established ties of friendship and respect: José Gomes, Lucinha da Fonte, Joziane and Rejane Maçães.
How can I avoid talking about my admiration for the work of José Cláudio, Vicente do Rego Monteiro, Vincent Van Gogh, Munch, Cãndido Portinari, Modigliani...

I feel I am a mixture of all the influences I have had on me, directly or indirectly, of everything I have seen and lived, painting until today only one painting split into many, perhaps endlessly.

(Antônio Mendes)


1989 Olinda’s 1st Plastic Arts Exposition - “Paisagem Pernambucana” (Pernambucan Landscape) – Olinda City Hall / Eufrásio Barbosa Marketplace
1990 Exposition together with Marcelo Peregrino “Paisagens” (Landscapes) - Quina Art Office
1991 Collective Exhibition in honor of Plastic Artist’s Day – Olinda City Hall / Eufrásio Barbosa Marketplace
– Collective Exhibition at Aliança Francesa - Recife
– Plastic Arts Auction – Pernambuco’s Convention Center
– Casa da Criança Plastic Arts Auction - Collective Atelier - Olinda
1992 Pernambuco’s Contemporary Art Room – Collective Mural Category (together with Marcelo Peregrino) – State Museum.
- CEF’s contest Award “Painting Christmas”- Cultural Association Art Gallery – Brasília.
1993 Individual Exposition at Pernambuco State Museum. – Renato Carneiro Campos’ Room
1995 Individual Exposition “Art in Partnership” – Quina Art Office - Olinda
1996 Collective Exhibition at Sobrado Art Gallery - Olinda
– Collective Exhibition “Artists from Paraíba and Pernambuco in Campina Grande”
– December Collective Exhibition at Artespaço – Artespaço Gallery – Recife
1997 Sobrado Gallery Collective Art Exhibition - Olinda
- Individual “Multiples” Exhibition – Oficina do Sabor - Olinda
1998 Individual Exhibition at Maison do Bomfim - Olinda
2000 Individual Exhibition “Maracatus” Maison do Bomfim - Olinda
– Sobrado Gallery Collective Art Exhibition - Olinda
– Collective Exhibition “Christ 2000 Years” – Espaço Casa de Pernambuco - Olinda
2001 Collective Exhibition Half a Century of History
– Olinda’s Historical Institute
- Individual Exhibition “Pictures” - MAC – Olinda
Olinda Art Everywhere Project
2002 Summer Collective Exposition - Atelier Coletivo - Olinda
– Collective Exhibition at Tacaruna Mall – Recife
2003 Individual Exhibition “The Yellow House – Galeria de Arte Segundo Jardim - Recife
2004 Individual Exhibition “Heads” – Maison do Bonfim – Olinda
2005 Coletive Exhibition “A pintura de Paisaegm em Pernambuco” – Centro de Convenções – Olinda
2006 Coletive Exhibition “Paisagens” Maison do Bonfim - Olinda
2008 IMIP Exhibition.
2009

IMIP Exhibition;

Collective Exhibition with Nino Ferreira and Paulo Rafael - Maison do Bonfim