CRW_0032

Pilar Belmonte Useros
Born in Albacete, Spain, in 1952. Lives in Valencia since 1968

Degrees

• DOCTORATE IN FINE ARTS from the Complutense University of Madrid in 1992
• FULBRIGHT / BANCO DE BILBAO grant in 1979 for the further studies in the United States: duration two years (first Fulbright Spanish painter).
• MASTER OF ART from New York University, New York, in 1981.
• BACHELOR OF ARTS from the Polytechnic University of Valencia in 1982
• PROFESSOR OF DRAWING at the San Carlos College of Fine Arts, Valencia in 1973

Individuals Exhibitions

1971 

“Sala Estudio” Albacete

1972

“Bisbal Gallery” Valencia
“Bibliotecas Populares” Madrid

1973

“Colegio Mayor CEM” Valencia

1974

“Antiqua Ars” Albacete
“Cueva de la Leña” Chinchilla, Albacete

1975

 “Spanish Club” London

1976

“La Gioconda, Sala Nestor” Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

1977

“Sala Estudio” Albacete

1978

“Schloss Ringenberg Gallery” b. Wesel, Alemania

1979

 “Bastida Llibres” Onteniente, Valencia

1980

“Palazzo Grassi” Venice, Italy

1981

“The Small Room, 80 Washington Sq. East Galleries, New York University, New York
“Hasting Gallery/The Spanish Institute” New York

1982

“Albacete Museum” Albacete

1983

“Palau Gallery” Valencia
“Torre I” Torrente,Valencia

1984

“Aula de Cultura, Banco de Bilbao” Fulbrighters exhibition, Bilbao

1988

“Luis Adelantado” Valencia

1989

“Plastic Transposition in the Museum of Albacete” Albacete
“Color in the landscape of Albacete” Caja de Ahorros de Valencia, Albacete

1990

“Compagnie Bancaire” Paris

1992

“Facultad de BBAA de Madrid” Doctoral Thesis Presentation

1993

“CAM exhibitions room” Alicante
“Vinatea Gallery” Valencia
“United Nations Palace” Geneva, Switzerland

1996

“La Kábala Gallery” Madrid

1997

Since this date the artist has not prepare any individual exhibition in order to be able to devote her time to stained glass projects in architectonic spaces (see section on stained glass)

2001

“Frank Stone Gallery” Minneapolis U.S.A.

2011

Exhibition “Horizontes cercanos e infinitos” Town Council Museum of Albacete.
Exhibition-presentation of the book “SHADES OF VIOLET” and the reserch project “SEEING COLOR, A Critical Eye”. School of Design (EASD), Valencia

2013

“Autumn in Berlín-Horizonts-El Cabañal” . Olof Palme Studio, Valencia
“Seeing Color – Learn to see color with images”. Technique School of Engineers UPV – Valencia
“La Mancha-Nederland” . Vermeulen- Achterveld, Holland

2014

Anthological Exhibition “Claustro de Santo Domingo” Chinchilla, Albacete

2015

”Elaboration process of the stained glass Rosette of Albacete Cathedral”. Association of Architects Castilla La Mancha, Albacete

2017

Art Fair Málaga
Olof Palme Studio Exhibition

2018

“Walking to the horizon”. Montsequi Gallery, Madrid

Collectives exhibitions

1971

“Sala Estudio” Albacete

1972

“Bisbal Gallery” Valencia
“Estil Gallery” Valencia
“Sala Estudio” Albacete

1974

“Serrano 19 Gallery” Madrid
“Salón de las Crónicas” City Hall of Barcelona

1975

“Círculo de Bellas Artes” Valencia

International “Sixty one Tempra Gallery” London

1976

International “Grolla d’Oro” Venice
International “Liricism and neo-tradition Spanish Art” Chicago
International “Liricisme dans l’Art Contemporain” Palais de L’Europe, Le Touquet, France
Interntcional “Grafic 76 at Sixty one Tempra Gallery” London
“Arte-Expo 76” Barcelona
“I Certamen de Artes Plásticas” Lanzarote, Canary Islands

1977

“Casa de la Cultura” Albacete

1978

“Recinto Ferial” Albacete
“Museo de Albacete” “Museum of Albacete” On the occasion of its opening
“Sala Estudio Christmas y poemas” Albacete

1979

“Casa de España, Portobello” with the Spanish Embassy sponsor, London

1980

“New York University” New York

1982

“II Exposición Antológica de Artistas de Albacete” Recinto Ferial, Albacete

1984

“La Cultura de Castilla La Mancha y sus raíces” Palacio de Velazquez Madrid”

1985

“Pintura Contemporanea de Albacete” Círculo de Bellas Artes, Valencia
“10 Encuentros con el arte actual” Traveling exhibition through popular universities, Regional Government of the Community, Castilla La Mancha

1986

“Arte en las Aulas II” University School of Nursing, Albacete

1987

“I Exposición Regional de Artes Plásticas de Castilla La Mancha” Cuenca

1988

“II Exposición Regional de Artes Plásticas de Castilla La Mancha” Albacete

1989

“III Exposición Regional de Artes Plásticas de Castilla La Mancha” (participation as invited artist) Ciudad Real
“Finisecular” Mislata, Valencia

1991

“Pintores de Albacete en Homenaje a Benjamín Palencia” Cultural Center La Asunción, Albacete

1992

“Tepsa Autoría y Anonimatos” Club Diario Levante, Valencia

1993

“United Nations Palace” Geneva, Switzerland

1994

“Vinatea Gallery” Valencia
“Fondo Gráfico” Albacete
“International book Fair” Frankfurt, Germany

1995

“Encuentro” Ibercaja, Valencia

1998

“Reencuentro” Ibercaja, Valencia

1999

“Reencuentro, 74-99, 10 Painters from Albacete” City Hall of Albacete

2000

“Arte y Solidaridad” Medicos Mundi Albacete, City Hall de Albacete

2001

“Asociación Española contra el Cancer” Albacete
“Das Farbige Licht” Pfarrkirchen , Alemania (International Stained glass exhibition)

2002

“Paradigma Art Gallery” Brussels, Belgium (International exhibition)

2003

“EL ARTE DE LAS VIDRIERAS Luz, Color, Espacio. (International Contemporary Stained glass exhibition) Santa María de la Valldigna Monastery, Valencia

2004

“Encuentros” Artistas Plásticos de Castilla-La Mancha. Museo de Santa Cruz, Toledo

2005

“38 painters from Albacete & the Quixote 2005“

2006

Stained glass exhibition in Erftstadt, Germany

2007

Exhibition benefit, Upper Egipt –Palacio de Colomina, Valencia

2009

International Stained glass exhibition, Derix Glasstudios Collection, Museo de Arte en Vidrio, Alcorcón, Madrid
Exhibition “Navajas III Centenario Confirmación de la Feria de Albacete.

2010

Exhibition “Navajas III Centenario Confirmación de la Feria de Albacete”, Valencia.
The same exhibition in Albacete, Benidorm and Requena

2011

International Stained glass exhibition “Open doors” DERIX Glasstudios –Taunusstein, Alemania.
Exhibition-Help Haití-“El Mediterráneo”. Círculo de Bellas Artes, Valencia

2013

“42 Presencias”. Women artists en el patrimonio de la Diputación de Albacete

2014

“Benjamín Palencia y la pintura de su tiempo en Albacete” Museum of Albacete.
“Solidària –Artistes valencians amb el Sàhara”. Cultural Center La Nau de la Universidad de Valencia

2015

“Solidària –Artistes valencians amb el Sàhara“. Centro sociocultural de L’Eliana

2016

“Homenaje a Miguel Hernández” Alicante

2017

Pequeño formato (estudio de Fuencisla Francés)

Stained Glass

Began working in the area of stained glass in 1987; her first masters were Pertegaz y Hernandez. Traveled throughout Europe, with special emphasis in Germany, in order to become acquainted firsthand with the modern stained glass factories and workshops.

Work in collaboration with the DERIX GLASSTUDIOS workshops in Taunusstein, Germany, since 1995.

Has installed stained glass windows in private homes in Grefrath (Germany) in Madrid, Albacete, Valencia, Godella , Paterna, Mas Camarena, Denia, Elche, Castellón…

In summer 96, attended the stained glass course given by Udo Zembok in the Centre International du Vitrail, in Chartes, France.

Created the stained glass window for the main entrance to the RENFE train station in Gandía, (Valencia) 27m², which was installed in September of 1998.

Participated in the Colloquiem Christian Art in the XXI century, 10 – 12 November 2000, as a speaker on the subject of “GLASS, LIGHT and COLOR– Contemporary Stained Glass Windows

In July of 2001 finished work on the stained glass for 4 windows in the chapel of the Carmelitas Descalzas Monastery in Albacete

Participated in the international exhibition of stained glass windows Das Farbige Licht in Pfarrkirchen (Germany) in December of 2001

  • Commissar for the international Stained Glass exhibition EL ARTE DE LAS VIDRIERAS Luz, Color, Espacio in 2003 (April-July) at the Monastery Santa María de la Valldigna, Spain, (40 artist from all over the world)

In 2004 installed a one piece stained glass window 240×120 cm in Elche, Alicante for the chapel exhibition space, Center Studies Miguel Hernández

Pilar presented her work at the International Stained Glass Conference in Reykjavik, Islandia, in April 2005. In August 2005 started a contact-colaboration with Glasmalerei Peters, Paderborn, Germany

A stained glass Rosette 150 cm Ø, is installed at the main facade of Santa María del Salvador, in Chinchilla, Albacete

Project of four windows 2014-2015, installed in San Pablo church, Albacete

The stained glass Rosette 4’35 m Ø project, is installed at the main facade in the Cathedral of Albacete, 2015

Works in museums and collections

• Museum of Albacete.

• Villafamés Museum of Contemporary Art, Villafamés, Castellón.

• Provincial Council of Albacete.

• Bank of Bilbao (BBVA) Bilbao


• Caja de Ahorros (Bank) of Valencia, Albacete

• Compagnie Bancaire, Paris.

• Salvador Allende Museum, Santiago de Chile.

• Polytechnical University of Valencia.

• Caja de Ahorros del Mediterraneo (CAM), Alicante

• City Hall of Albacete.

• City Hall of Chinchilla de Montearagón, Albacete.

• Private collections in Spain,

• England, Germany, France, Italy, Holland, Japan and the United States.

Teaching experience

Her first classes as a teacher of Drawing were given at the School Sagrado Corazón, in Godella, Valencia, 1977-79

Professor of Plastic Arts and Design in the College of Art and Design in Valencia since 1982; full tenure since 1985

Teaching subject: “Color” Theory and Practice, for all Design specialities. She also has taught Drawing and Graphic Expression Techniques

Initiator for the first international programs in the above named College and coordinator during a period of 9 years. She creates a research Laboratory Light and Color in 1995 (EASD Valencia)

Held the position of Head of the Department of Expression and Artistic Representation during the period from 1993-97

In 1994 taught classes in Color and Graphic Expression Techniques at the “Albe Steiner” Italian School of Advertising in Turin, Italy

Board and Executive Committee member of the international association ELIA (European League of Institutes of the Arts) from 1996 until 2000, representing Spain, on behalf 350 schools of Art of Europe

During the academic course 98-99, directed the work group Color as Expression and Communication within the framework of courses organized by the Cefire in the Comunidad Valenciana.

In March of 2003, taught a seminar on Color in the “Hogeschool Sint- Lukas of Brussels.

In 2006 coordinator at the EASD of Valencia, the joint project “Colors on the Stage” in collaboration with Art & Drama School in Valencia.

In 2007 coordinator joint project “Colors Dialogue” EASD, ESAD and Music Conservatoire, Valencia.

Visited 36 schools of Design in Europe, the U.S.A. and Canada during the period from 1985 to 2005, carrying out comparative studies on programming and degrees in these schools.

In November of 2005 gave a lecture on the current situation, start-up and educational agreements in the Declaration of Bologna, in 8 European schools in Geneva, Lausanne, Basel, Zürich, Lucerne, Strasbourg, Berlin and Brussels.

In 2008 taught classes of COLOR at the University of Lapand, Rovaniemi, Finland, as Erasmus teacher

In 2009 gave a lecture: Color Observation and Criticism in Man-Made Environments at the World Color Conference (AIC) in Sydney, Auntralia with a publication

In 2010 presents a communication: Crítica del color en el medio urbano, in the National Color Conference in Alicante

In September 2012 retires from teaching. She never will retires as an artist

Note:

The dynamics of color observation and use in everyday life has been one of the constants in the classes I’ve delivered over the last 29 years. I am of the firm conviction that designers must study color as matter, for treating color is imperative to their endeavour.

That was why when in 1985 I decided to innovate new lines of teaching, I instituted the ‘Color festivals’ held at the school. In this new context, students were required to report their research on the use of color in pleasurable ways (in snacks, meals or appetizers when all that was still a novelty, long before ‘nouvelle cuisine’ grew into ubiquity). As a result, color in and of itself became a distinctive entity in the School of Design.

Understandably, then, for me the elimination of the subject ‘Color’ in the new curriculum for a degree in design is incomprehensible. I deeply regret that today’s students are being deprived of what I had gradually managed to have included in department programming under the various management teams who espoused my proposals and granted my requests.

The book VER EL COLOR Observación Crítica /SEEING COLOR A Critical Eye is the fruit of 27 years of study and class preparation, together with students’ classroom response

Other Activities

Executive Board Member of The Museum of National Ceramic in Chinchilla, Albacete, since its fundation in 1980 until 2018, and art curator

President of the association Cuevas del Agujero, in Chinchilla, Albacete

Member of the International Color Association (AIC)

Member of VEGAP (Visual Entidad de Gestión de Artistas Plásticos).

Illustrations and Publications

The Design of covers, layout and photographies of may catalogues of her exhibitions, have been made by her self

17 Illustrations in two-colored red cholk for the book COCINA DE ALBACETE (The Cooking of Albacete) by Carmina Useros. 1000 numbered copies 1971

87 Illustrations in full color oil pastels for the book FIESTAS POPULARES DE ALBACETE Y SU PROVINCIA (Popular Festivals of Albacete and its province) by Carmina Useros. 500 signed and numbered copies, Albacete 1980

Cover in full color oil pastels and 4 illustrations in black & white of the book of poems PRESENCIAS Y AUSENCIAS (Presences and Absences) by María Nieves Martínez Valiente. Casas Ibáñez, Albacete 1982

Cover for the second edition of the book COCINA DE ALBACETE (Cooking of Albacete)by Carmina Useros, with collage and color pencils 1986

Poster of the XVII Jornadas Nacionales de SOCIDROGALCOHOL (National Symposium) Valencia 1989

Cover of the literary journal BARCAROLA, with oil pastels and collage, Albacete 1991

Article in the magazine ARTEGUÍA, about CHRISTO: “The Umbrellas”, Joint Project for Japan and United States 1992

Article in the newspaper LA TRIBUNA of Albacete on the “Packaging of the German REICHSTAG Parlament by CHRISTO 1995

Cover, page layout and photographs of the information brochure of the MUSEO DE CERÁMICA NACIONAL (Museum of National Ceramics) of CHINCHILLA, Albacete 1997

  • Co-author with Carmina Useros of the book MUSEUM OF NATIONAL CERAMICS Pottery from all over Spain, Chinchilla, Albacete, published in 2005 on its 25th anniversary

Publication of “NOTES OF COLOR” in 2009, Estudios Superiores de Diseño en la EASD of Valencia

  • Publication of the book “MIRADAS VIOLETA /SHADES OF VIOLET”. Edition Efecto Violeta. Valencia 2011

  • Publication of “NOTES OF DRAWING –learn to see, learn to draw” with illustrations of students works of EASD Valencia, 2012

  • Publication in digital format “VER EL COLOR / SEEING COLOR Observación crítica / A Critical Eye”, May 2012

Bibliography about the artist

BOOKS and CATALOGUES

• 

ARTISTAS CONTEMPORANEAS EN ESPAÑA 
Raul Chavarri. Gavar, Madrid, 1976 

• 

First International Exhibition of Plastic Arts. 
Museo Castillo de S. José- Lanzarote, Canary Islands 1976. 

• 

PINTORES ALBACETENSES CONTEMPORANEOS (1900-1983) 
Rubí Sanz Gamo 
Institutes of Albacete’s studies Albacete 1984 

• 

La cultura en Castilla-La Mancha y sus raices. Ministerio de Cultura 
Palacio de Velazquez- Parque del Retiro, Madrid. April-May 1984

• 

1º Premios Castilla-La Mancha de la Artes Plásticas Pintura y Escultura 1987 
Cuenca, 20-30 May 1987 

• 

2º Premios Castilla-La Mancha de las Artes Plásticas Pintura y Escultura 
Museo de Albacete . June-July 1988 

• 

Curves in a straight Path: Notes for a travel note book through Pilar Belmonte’painting. Joaquín Arnau Amo. Catalogue for the Exhibition in Luis Adelantado Gallery, Valencia 1988 
Color and Matter. Marisa Alvarez Landete 
Catalogue for the Exhibition in Luis Adelantado Gallery, Valencia 1988

• 

PILAR BELMONTE Plastic Transpotition in the Museum of Albacete 
Texts in the catalogue: Rubí Sanz Gamo – Joaquín Arnau Amo 
Ediciones de la diputación de Albacete, 1989 

• 

  • Finisecular. Centro Cultural Mislata. August- September 1989 

• 

ENCICLOPEDIA DEL ARTE ESPAÑOL DEL SIGLO XX  XX 
1.ARTISTAS dirigida por Francisco Calvo Serraller Mondadori, Madrid 1991

• 

Barcarola. Revista de creación Literaria. Ayuntamiento y Diputación de Albacete 
Número 35-36. Abril 1991

• 

Texts for the exhibition catalogue in CAM, Alicante. 
Joaquín Arnau Amo, Marialuz Rodenas Nuñez y Manuel Muñoz Ibañez -Abstraction and Nature. 
May- June 1993

• 

DICTIONARY OF SPANISH PAINTERS AND SCULPTORS FROM XX CENTURY   
Tomo 2, dirección editorial Mario Antolín Paz 
Forum Artis S.A. Madrid 1994

• 

“Encuentro”. Exhibition gallery Ibercaja, Valencia. 
March-April 1995

• 

“Encuentros”. Museo municipal de Albacete 
September 1995

• 

ALBACETENSES DE LA DIÁSPORA. Tita Martinez 
Diputación Provincial de Albacete 1997

• 

“Reencuentro”. Artists from the 1973 promotion. 25 years after. 
Exhibition gallery Ibercaja, Valencia. October 1998

• 

DICTIONARY OF VALENCIANS ARTISTS FROM XX CENTURY   
Francisco Agramunt Lacruz 
Editorial Albatros, 1999

• 

“Partida de Damas”. Landscape. Maite Beguiristain 
Sala José Camarón, Centro Cultural, Segorbe. March-May 1999

• 

“Reencuentro”. 1974 – 1999. City Hall of Albacete. 
September 1999

• 

VALENCIAN  CONTEMPORARY ART 
a bibliographic recopilationsince 1976 
Inmaculada Aguilar Civera (dir.) 
Generalitat Valenciana. Conselleria de Cultura i Educació 2001

• 

Das Farbige Licht. Pfarrkirchen Ausstellung. Wilhelm Derix 
International stained glass exhibition. 
Derix Glasstudios, Taunusstein, Alemania 2001 
Catalogue for the international Stained Glass exhibition EL ARTE DE LAS VIDRIERAS Light, Color, Space. 2003 Monastery Santa María de la Valldigna, Valencian Community, Spain

NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES ARTICLES

• 

Pilar Belmonte. Spanish Club/Sixty One Tempra Gallery, London
Max Wykes-Joyce. Arts Review. Londres. October 1975 (magazine)

• 

Pintar en Nueva York. A. Cuevas 
La Verdad. Albacete, Sunday, 29 June 1980 

• 

Abstract artists and 6th graders at NYU galleries. Angela Clarke 
Washington Square News. 13 Abril 1981

• 

El juego cromático de la pintora Pilar Belmonte. Rafael Prats Rivelles 
Levante, February 3th 1983

• 

Pilar Belmonte en la galería Palau. Eduardo Bort Carbo 
Levante. February 4th 1983

• 

Pilar Belmonte. Rafa Marí 
Levante, February 15th 1983

• 

Pilar Belmonte, la reflexión y el análisis como opción plástica. Marialuz Rodenas
Crónica. Albacete, 31 de enero de 1988

• 

Els plans de color de Pilar Belmonte. Romà de la Calle
El Temps Febrero 1988 (revista)

• 

Los planos de color de Pilar Belmonte. Román de la Calle
El Punto, Madrid febrero 1988

• 

Pilar Belmonte ha transformado el museo en un nuevo ambiente estético.
Felicidad Izaguirre. La Tribuna Albacete, septiembre 1989

• 

Pilar Belmonte en París. Carmen Prat Ribelles
Qué y Dónde. Abril 1990 (guía)

• 

Un reencuentro con la vida. Pilar Escanero de Miguel
Información, Alicante. 3 de Junio de 1993

• 

Las tentaciones de la luz. Las vidrieras de Pilar Belmonte. Marcos R. Barnatan
Arte, Metrópoli. Marzo –abril 1996 (revista)

• 

La Pintora Pilar Belmonte y sus vidrieras. Juan Ramírez de Lucas
Artículo- entrevista por José Ramón Ayllón
La Voz de Albacete, diciembre de 1998 (revista)

• 

La artista Pilar Belmonte instala una de sus vidrieras en la estación de Renfe de Gandía
La Verdad, Albacete. 30 de mayo de 1999

• 

Pilar Belmonte realizó la vidriera de la estación de Gandía
La Tribuna, Albacete, 4 de junio de 1999

• 

“El arte de las vidrieras”. Manuel Muñoz Ibáñez. Las Provincias, Valencia 14 junio 2003

• 

“La mirada infinita y violeta de Pilar Belmonte” A.D. La Tribuna de Albacete 18 de marzo 2011

• 

“Horizonte interrumpido”, Joaquín Arnau. La Tribuna de Albacete 19 de abril 2011

• 

“Pilar Belmonte se siente violeta”, Rafa Prats. Levante, Valencia 20 de junio 2011

• 

“Miradas Violeta”, Chele Esteve. Levante, Valencia 24 de junio 2011

• 

“Mapa e itinerario artístico”, A. Díaz. La Tribuna de Albacete, 23 de mayo 2014

• 

“Pilar Belmonte trabaja en una vidriera para la catedral”, V.M. La tribuna de Albacete, 10 de marzo 2015-12-13 “El rosetón inundará de color la catedral”, V.M. La Tribuna de Albacete, 30 de abril 2015

• 

“La nueva vidriera de San Juan une simbolismo y abstracción”, V.M. La Tribuna de Albacete, 1 de mayo 2015