COLOMA, Joan

Born in Alcoy, Valencia, in 1956. Drawn to painting from a young age, it was in 1979 that he decided to pursue formal training by enrolling at the School of Applied Arts and Artistic Crafts in Alcoy. However, preferring the freedom of self-directed learning, he left his classes to begin painting outdoors in the countryside. A trip to the Picos de Europe in 1985 revealed a landscape that sparked a new central theme in his work, leading him to spend extended periods painting in northern Spain from that point onward. He has held solo exhibitions in Andorra and Spain. He was awarded 3rd Prize at the Provincial Painting Contest of San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, in 1980, and 3rd Prize at the "24 Hours of Sports in Alcoy" Poster Contest in 1981.