Calif. artist works with tortillas

HIGHLAND PARK, Calif., Aug. 4 (UPI) -- A California artist who uses tortillas as his canvas is heading to a solo exhibition in Hong Kong.

Joe Bravo of Highland Park, who began working with tortillas as a student at Cal State Northridge in the 1970s, has won a measure of recognition, The Washington Post reports. He started with corn tortillas but now usually works with extra-large flour tortillas custom-made for him.

Twenty Bravo tortillas will be on display at a mall in Hong Kong. He will demonstrate his art for visitors.

"Necessity is the mother of invention," Bravo said. "Mexicans, we Latinos, we have a history of being a resourceful people. We'll paint on tin, on walls, on cars, on anything."

Bravo, now 57, spent much of his career in commercial art, including a long stint as art director of Lowrider Magazine.

The artist looks to the tortillas to determine his art. When Bravo gets his tortillas from Tumaro's Gourmet Tortillas, he cooks them, backs them with burlap and varnishes the other side. Then he examines the wrinkles on each tortilla to see what he should paint.