Willibald de Cabrera

Born in 1968 in the small town of Puerta de Cabrera in the state of Durango, Mexico, Willibald began drawing when he was six years old. From the beginning, he developed a love for figurative work, becoming an obsession at this tender age. While attending secondary school, de Cabrera was introduced to painting by Efrain Rincon Lira, maestro. Lira was familiar with the talents and abilities de Cabrera possessed in theatre, folklore dancing, poetry writing and painting. Recognizing de Cabrera forte, Lira encouraged him to concentrate his efforts in painting. At the age of thirteen, de Cabrera actively participated in various competitions and a year later won first place at the state level.

Willibald de Cabrera was accepted at the Escuela de Pintura y Escultura del Estado de Durango at the age of sixteen and by the time he was nineteen he was working as a graphic design artist in Matamoros, Mexico.

In 1992, de Cabrera moved to the United States and enrolled at the El Paso Community College where he became a pupil of Phil Behymer. Under his guidance, de Cabrera was able to refine his technical skills in the human figure. In 2000 he adopted his town’s name, taking the pen name Willibald de Cabrera. In 2001, de Cabrera decided to become a full-time artist.

Willibald de Cabrera’s command of the human body is evident in the pieces sought after by many collectors and art aficionados alike. He takes great pleasure in creating commissioned work, and welcomes the challenges in painting varied subject matters such as bullfighters, dancers, nudes and portraits. His work has been displayed in numerous galleries and he has had many successful one-man exhibitions.

As a competitive artist, de Cabrera has won numerous awards and was bestowed with Best of Show at the Sun Bowl Competition in El Paso, Texas.