hector flores

Hector’s artistic influences stem primarily from the elder artists in his family during his upbringing. His grandfather, a combat veteran who served as a paratrooper in the Airborne Division of the United States Army, worked as a draftsman on various architectural projects throughout the desert Southwest, with a particular focus on El Paso, TX. Growing up, Hector spent considerable time near his grandfather, sometimes even living with him. His grandfather maintained a professional drafting table, a fixture that deeply impacted Hector from a young age.

“I will never forget my grandfather’s drafting table and setup, which included various drafting tools that always intrigued me,” Hector reflects. He often sat by his grandfather as he worked on drafting designs and occasionally accompanied him to his workplace. Every so often, his grandfather would step away from architectural projects to sketch other subjects, most often faces and animals.

Hector recalls a conversation with one of his grandfather’s brothers (all four brothers served in the U.S. military), who shared memories of his grandfather drawing Disney characters on the walls of their home during childhood. These characters, he noted, had inspired his grandfather’s artistic development. Hector vividly remembers the change in his grandfather’s demeanor when Mickey Mouse was mentioned—his expression softened, and a twinkle appeared in his eye, as though he was transported to a cherished memory. Through this connection, He