Lorenzo Lugo McKelvain is a multidisciplinary artist based in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. His work explores masculinity, mythology, and the emotional landscape of contemporary identity through ceramics, painting, and printmaking. Deeply inspired by Mexican traditions, Halloween imagery, and the natural world, Lorenzo creates intimate, poetic pieces that often blur the line between beauty and the uncanny. His recent projects include Narciso, a series of nude portraits exploring male vulnerability, and Earthworm Creatures, ceramic monster-vessels rooted in childhood fantasy. With a background in visual storytelling, his home and studio are extensions of his artistic vision—spaces where art is lived every day.
How did your upbringing shape your creative identity? I was born in the north of Mexico, in the desert. The small town that I grew up in gave me little exposure to arts and culture but much inspiration. Its beauty, people, and powerful resilience show up in my art to this day.
Was there a particular moment or event in your prior career that solidified your desire to become an artist? I guess I always knew that I loved art. I was never very good at anything but art. Despite knowing that about myself, I never knew that making art could be an actual career. So, I studied architecture and moved to Mexico City to work as an architect. That experience taught me two things: 1. Working a regular 9-5 in an office on a computer every day was just not for me. In fact, I kind of hate computers. 2. Living in the city gave me exposure to a whole world of art that I never knew before. I saw a successful artist doing what they love for a living, and that inspired me.
Are there any rituals or routines that structure your artistic process? Every day is a little bit different. Sometimes I have classes or I’m working on a specific project, either for myself or a commissioned piece. Some days I don’t even touch clay because I’m firing the kiln and creating pigments. But one thing is for sure, there isn’t a day that goes by that I’m not happy to be there. The studio is my favorite place to be.
What projects are you working on at the moment? And what themes or ideas are currently driving your work? Right now, I’m focused on a very personal project that I don’t intend to sell. It’s inspired by a trend that I saw on social media, where people hug a clay vase before it is fired so that it is imprinted by both bodies. It gives the piece a unique shape and is such a beautiful way to represent a relationship by freezing this moment of love in time. Of course, I will put my own special touch on the project by painting each piece inspired by my relationship with that person. I’m looking forward to capturing my most meaningful relationships in this way: my husband, parents, sisters, nephews, and friends.
What do you hope people feel when they experience your art? A connection with the subject of the piece. I often can’t find words to express what I’m thinking, so I show it in my work. It’s my hope that people will feel a connection to that idea.
Is there an artist, past or present, whom you would love to meet? Jeff Koons. I love his work, and I find it fascinating that he found such an impactful way of marketing himself as a brand. That’s something that every artist could get better at.
Do you draw inspiration from music, art, or other disciplines? Of course! Anything can be inspirational. Stories I’ve read in books, movies, and even just spending time in nature can invoke new perspectives and thoughts that inspire my work. But I guess I find myself most lost in fantasy novels. That’s probably the one place that I find to be the most compelling source of inspiration.
Living in San Miguel de Allende, what do you find creatively nourishing? San Miguel de Allende is aesthetically stunning. Its old-world charm, beautiful architecture, and warm light make it an artist’s paradise. Every corner you turn, you find something beautiful. No wonder it’s full of artisans and creative people. It’s always been that way. San Miguel has a rich history of inspiring artists. So it’s a beautiful environment in which to be creative.
Can you describe a project that challenged you creatively or emotionally—and how you worked through it? Refugio, without a doubt. It was my first museum show in the United States, inspired by immigration. The collection is a bunch of small ceramic houses all standing on tall and fragile legs. I felt inspired by immigrants moving to different places for whatever reason—Mexicans moving to the States, for example, and even my own experience of having to leave my hometown because of the fallout from cartels at war. The emotional journey to build a story behind each piece was very intense but also therapeutic.
Tell us about important teachers/mentors/collaborators in your life. Hilda San Vicente was my first ceramics teacher. She actually passed away this year. I will always be grateful to her. She introduced me to a path in life I never knew existed.
Can you share a memory or reflection about the beauty and wonder of the natural world? Does being in nature inspire your art or your process? Certainly! Nature is so poetic in a way. The concept of constant evolution or the memories that are invoked by experiencing something in nature can be so powerful. A flower that my grandmother loved, a place that takes you back to your childhood, smells that bring back a specific day in your life. Nature has a way of speaking to you directly.
What are your reflections on the future of AI in art? AI is just a tool. It will never have the human touch. That’s something you can’t replicate. But I like the idea of creating something with the use of any new tool.
Exploring ideas, art and the creative process connects me to… Myself.
