THE WEEK OF
April 30, 2003
SJMA exhibit
Quilt museum
Datebook
Youth symphony
Society
TheaterWorks festival
'Spring Lullaby, 2002,' 12 x 12 inches, oil on wood, is one of nearly 40 small-scale paintings by Tino Rodriguez on display at the San Jose Museum of Art.
Darkening Garden: Exhibit at SJMA is alive with imagery
By Estelle Pagnoux
Growing up in a traditional Mexican Catholic family provided artist Tino Rodriguez a complicated palate to work from when creating the oil paintings on display at the San Jose Museum of Art.

"Tino Rodriguez: The Darkening Garden/El Jardin al Anochecer" includes almost 40 small-scale paintings by the San Francisco­based artist known for meticulously detailed paintings.

Rich with detail, color, mysterious and sometimes religious imagery, Rodriguez is clearly influenced by his experience growing up as a gay man among eight brothers and sisters. Imaginary gardens and decorated interior scenes are often filled with objects of devotion and sacred religious figures such as half-human half-animal creatures, saints and virgins. See Rodriguez's exhibit through July 13.

The San Jose Museum of Art, located at 110 S. Market St., is open Tuesday­Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, call 408.271.6840 or visit www.sjmusart.org.