Mateo is Colombian-American, and a resident of Orlando, Florida, of many years. Blanco studied at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, and two of his works are now in the permanent collection of the Boca Raton Museum of Art. He is a gifted artist with many talents besides being a painter, he is also a goldsmith jeweler and opera singer.

Mateo is known for his unusual materials to create his works of art, displayed in galleries all over the world. For our exhibition, Blanco has painted several versions of the flag of the United States and explains why: “All of us have different colors inside or outside. We can change a color or a shape, but the magic and essence remain intact. It doesn’t matter what color or shape; it will always be recognizable. We have different colors of skin, hair, or even spirit, but all of us are Americans; the external differences hide what we have inside. I cherish my Colombian roots, but I love deeply my new homeland. It’s our differences what makes the United States so powerful, unique, and rich. These paintings are my song to The Star-Spangled Banner, and my personal homage to the American coat of arms above the bald eagle, E pluribus unum.”