"Since I started to work in Visual Arts, in 1968, I have made an effort to produce strictly for the purpose of artistic expression, which is the essential motivation of my works ." - Jose Etcheverry Orchard

Jose Etcheverry Orchard was born on November 29, 1947 in Santiago, Chile. He began his artistic career in 1975, upon his graduation from the Faculty of Visual Arts at the Catholic University in Chile, where he obtained a Masters Degree in Art with a specialization in Painting.

During this period, he also worked as a Visual Arts Teacher in various schools. He taught introductory courses in drawing and painting at the Faculty of Visual Art in the Catholic University of Chile. He has exhibited engravings, drawings, and paintings in different places in Santiago, including the School of Architecture. Notably, in 1969, he presented an individual exhibition of engravings in the Visual Arts Pavilion located in the Cultural Branch of the Pan American Union (Washington, DC). He has also participated in various group exhibitions in other Chilean cities.

When his family immigrated to Canada in 1978, he initiated a process of cultural adaptation and assimilation, without abandoning his art practice. He has exhibited drawings in the Director of Education’s Office in Scarborough, and paintings in the Parliament House Gallery in Toronto.

In 1982, Jose obtained his Teaching License from the University in Windsor, with a specialization in Visual Arts. He then continued his education, becoming a Visual Arts Honours Specialist from the University of Toronto, in 1989.

Jose has taught Visual Arts in many institutions and enrichment programs and he became formally employed with the Toronto Separate School Board in 1989. Jose taught Visual Arts at Saint Basil the Great for approximately 20 years, until the time he decided to retire in order to dedicate more time to his work as an artist.

Aside from his artistic career, Jose also has a very rich personal life. He is a father of four children (Jose Ramon, Claudia (1989), Christian, and Gabriella), grandfather of seven (Camila, Meghan, Sean, Alicia, Damien, Leeloo, and Carmen) and great-grandfather of three (Max, Amanda, and TBD).