Lifestyles Profile - Federico Leon de la Vega
By Josef Kandoll W.


Federico León de la Vega is known for the fruit of his labor. “Reunión para Comer,” the wall mural of tangerines at Bianco glows above the street invitingly. “I get calls from people saying they want exactly that picture. I actually do paint things other than fruit, but that‘s what people know me for.”

In Mexico City, prior to an odyssey that took him and his family to California, León de la Vega, a designer by profession, finished the ceiling of a cathedral in Coyoacán. “It would be great for Vallarta to have a mural in a public place, something in the style of Tiépolo (Giambattista), an epic work.” He muses about the idea of the availability of a space like City Hall or even an outdoor wall.

“I’ve worked in some fantastic homes, not only here but also in Cabo San Lucas. We talk about the project, I see what feeling the place gives me, then present a sketch. Together we come up with something that works for me and the homeowner. I like working with architects and getting into a project right from the beginning. In fact, right now I’m involved in a project next door that will be called the Painters’ Building. It’ll feature large paintings of the easels of famous artists like Picasso, Dalí and Frida Kahlo and their working tools.”

“I wanted to live by the ocean. I tried San Diego, both coasts, I wanted to find an adequate place where I could settle and keep busy.” Federico León de la Vega surveys the water from his studio-café in Nuevo Vallarta, where he paints and displays his work. “When I first came to Puerto Vallarta, I had the fortune to meet John Youden, and he advised me to stay here. So here I am.”

This season, an exhibition of his is scheduled for the Presidente Intercontinental on a series he did of churches in Jalisco. “I traveled around the state painting lesser-known churches and chapels, something different than what I’ve done.”