Hugo Orezzoli grew up in the Jesus Maria district of Lima, Perú.

In his youth, he spent a great deal of time roaming the streets and

parks of his beloved city, and to this day, still considers them his playground. Around this time, Hugo began making art, experimenting with watercolors, tempera, and charcoals.

 

In 1983, after turning 19, he craved adventure and desired opportunities. Speaking very little English, Hugo traveled to the United States where soon after arriving he joined the U.S. Army.After his time in the military, with a little more English picked up along the way, he attended MSU (Missouri State University) in Springfield, Missouri, majoring in Graphic Design. While attending school and working random jobs, he was offered an opportunity to work as a graphic designer at a local ad agency. He remained there for 5 years, eventually being promoted

to Art Director.

 

In 1996, Hugo decided to change his life and made Miami, Florida his new home. He landed several advertising agency jobs as an Art Director, eventually climbing the ladder to becoming a Creative Director. Hugo believes Miami inspired him to create more than ads. A new passion

was discovered, and He began writing songs for the Latin Music

genre (Salsa).

 

While admiring the sun and blue waters of his adopted city, he also found time to paint. He had a calling to go big, and went on to paint with oils on canvases reaching up to 6 feet in size. This size helps him feel most at home portraying the larger than life personalities he remembers as a young boy in Peru. To this day, Hugo’s time in

Lima still inspires him to tell visual stories on a large scale.

 

What started as a hobby has become his commitment to tell the stories of the people and places from his native culture. Every time Hugo paints, it feels like a new journey back to Lima.