Leovigildo Martinez was born in 1959 in Oaxaca (wa-HAH-ka), Mexico, a state in southern Mexico known for its richly artistic traditions.  Seventeen different indigenous minorities, many of whom speak languages other than Spanish, live throughout Oaxaca's regions.  This remarkable array of cultures and folklore provide the major theme in Martinez's works.  Fiestas, folk customs and even the textiles of the region find their way into Martinez's paintings, contributing to what the artist describes as "figurative magic".