Forty Shades of Sunlight | Acrylic on Canvas | 74 x 20 x 2 in | $8,700

This is not just a painting. It’s an experience that commands your attention and challenges you to view the world through a whole new perspective.

Carlos Gamez de Francisco's latest masterpiece is a surreal portrait that blends high fashion, fantasy, and nature into an unforgettable visual narrative. At the center, a woman’s face is framed by an elaborate, towering headdress constructed entirely of stacked, colorful sunglasses. The intricate mask-like patterns and glossy textures make this piece an explosion of boldness, drawing you in with every glance.

Forty Shades of Sunlight (Detail Image)

"By decontextualizing eras and symbols, 

I connect past and present—crafting an escape into an illusory world."

—  Carlos de Gamez Francisco

But the real magic happens when you look closer. Delicate butterflies and bees flutter through the composition, adding a whimsical touch that contrasts beautifully with the striking intensity of the sunglasses. This harmony between the natural world and the surreal forces you to reconsider the boundaries between reality and imagination.

Forty Shades of Sunlight (Detail Image)

The inspiration behind this work is deeply personal—Carlos has created this vibrant portrayal of identity, adornment, and perception based on his wife’s extensive (and, in his words, “too many”) collection of sunglasses. The piece celebrates both the absurdity and elegance of fashion, while exploring how we define ourselves through the objects we choose to wear.

This isn’t just art—it’s an invitation to reflect on your own identity and how we all construct the masks we wear. The piece challenges you to look beyond the surface and dig into the deeper meaning of adornment and perception.