David Tineo

David Tineo (born May 23, 1955) is an American artist of Mexican descent whose works focus on cultural and identity issues particular to Mexican Americans who live in the U.S. Though internationally known, most of Tineo's life and career has been spent in Tucson, Arizona. He was diagnosed in 2004 with a macular degeneration that left him legally blind, but continues to paint and sculpt.

Early life

David Tineo was born in Douglas, Arizona, a small town on the U.S.-Mexico border. His father, Patrick Tineo, a Portuguese immigrant whose own father entered the United States via Ellis Island, was mistakenly deported to Mexico when he was a young man, where he met and married Ernestina Figueroa, the woman who became David's mother. David's family moved from Douglas to a barrio in west Tucson in 1959. His father separated from the family in 1969 after which Ernestina sold tamales, cleaned homes, took in ironing, and worked various housekeeping jobs to raise her seven children while simultaneously learning English.

Tineo's prodigious artistic abilities were evident early in life. His parents submitted samples of his artwork to various national art contests, all of which were rejected by judges who refused to believe they’d been drawn by a child. Tineo's artistic talent was also recognized by his teachers, who encouraged its development throughout Tineo's elementary, middle, and high school years. He began to seriously study ceramics, human anatomy and figurative drawing at Cholla High School, from which he graduated in 1974.