Local Artist Manuel Delgado-Ordaz, Jr.

‘Do All Things With Love and Passion’

Color. Communication. Memories. Manuel Delgado-Ordaz, Jr. put pen to paper for the first time at the age of four. Intrigued by shapes, movement and architecture, he began to draw – expressing himself through paper, crayons, pencils and bold color. Now, at the ripe old age of 16, Manuel still uses his art as a form of self expression, defiance and positivity. Drawing his inspiration from an eclectic mix of his love of history and kinetic shapes, every piece of Manuel’s art tells a story. Whether it is a walk through Epcot’s abandoned histories or a snapshot in time of his beloved homeland of Venezuela, his passion and love for his craft is clear, deliberate and honed.

Born in Caracas, Manuel and his family experienced the beauty and the decline of life under the Chavez administration before immigrating to the U.S. in 2014. Watching the slow deterioration of the architecture that he admired so much as a four-year-old motivated him to memorialize his city. Oftentimes working from memory, he painstakingly reconstructs details about the buildings and lighting of his cityscapes. Like a still photograph, his Caracas series captures Manuel’s vision of the city during its heyday in the ‘50s and ‘60s as well as his childhood.

I want to draw my city the way I remember it. I want it to feel positive and vibrant. The colors I use and the bold strokes represent the Venezuelan flag and our strength as a nation.

Art to Overcome Diversity. Manuel’s parents, Manny Sr. and Thais Ordaz, are clearly a major force enabling and supporting his talent by providing insight and keeping him grounded in his heritage and their family values. Ever thankful for the new country that has embraced them, his parents remind their son to be humble, thoughtful and positive – to leverage his art as a platform to overcome diversity and to voice his feelings. “Drawing and painting is for everyone,” says Manuel, “it doesn’t matter if it’s a stick figure, it’s a way to communicate to anyone.” Welcome to the Nonahood. Living in Laureate Park has inspired a bold new NONA series. Prominent landmarks like the Beacon and Canvas intersect with distinct “only-in-the-Nonahood” staples such as the crazy ibises and our friendly Longhorns. Each piece illustrates the vibrant lifestyle that is synonymous with Laureate Park, and one triptych in particular even reproduces our innovative spirit with three moveable yet connected canvases that can be mixed and matched to create multiple landscapes. To quote Coach John Wooden, “Make every day your masterpiece,” and Manuel has definitely turned every day into his masterpiece and is currently excited about his new Star Wars series.