Mr. Fink takes his talents to Mexico

Anyone who attended Haverford in lower school will instantly recognize the playful personality and friendly smile of art teacher Mr. Antonio Fink. Mr. Fink began teaching at Haverford in the fall of 2002.

     Before teaching here, Mr. Fink was a resident artist at the Clay Studio, a non-profit organization in Philadelphia that promotes ceramic art. He was among twelve resident artists awarded a spot. During his residency Mr. Fink had his first child and decided it was time for some stability. He chose to pursue a Masters’ degree in Art at the Tyler School of Art at Temple University.

     Mr. Fink said, “I got my Master’s degree so I could be ‘hirable.’” 

      Sure enough, he was soon introduced to our community by middle school language teacher Dr. Gerhard Reich and secured a job as an art teacher.

“I feel responsible for teaching sound fundamentals and instilling a love for art.”

Mr. Antonio Fink

    “I love being the first to teach art to the boys,” Mr. Fink said. “I feel honored to be their introduction to the artistic experience. I feel responsible for teaching sound fundamentals and instilling a love for art.”

     Mr. Fink was born in Mexico City, Mexico, to a Mexican father and American mother. “I remember taking this field trip to the Palace of Fine Arts in Mexico City. At that age, you can be fairly impressed easily,” Mr. Fink said. “But I went to this Palace of Fine Arts, and I was blown away by the murals of the mural artists of the 1930s in Mexico. Coincidentally, there was a show of Impressionist painters as well. I saw all that in the same day and was very inspired by it.”

     After playing tennis most of his youth, Mr. Fink became a highly-ranked tennis player in high school in Mexico. His mother had always insisted that Mr. Fink and his brother attend college in the United States, so he began reaching out to tennis coaches at universities. He was ultimately granted a full scholarship at Pan American University in Texas, which hosts a Division-I tennis team.

     Mr. Fink, who continued to pursue his career as a professional ceramic artist while teaching and coaching tennis at Haverford, will return to Mexico this February to show his work in Mexico City. The recurring event, to be held next year in Mexico City, called “Bada,” was started by a woman in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

     Typically, art galleries take on 40%-60% on each sale of an artist’s work at their gallery. Sometimes artists sell their work directly to customers without paying a commission to a gallery. Artists from all over submit their portfolios, and, if accepted, pay a fee for space in the venue. For the upcoming Mexico City event, Mexican muralist Raphael Cauto will serve as the featured artist. He is expected to draw a large crowd.

     Mr. Fink works primarily with clay—specifically tiles and pots—as well as other media. Because transportation of this type of work involves complications and risks, he has decided to take paintings on unstretched canvas that can be rolled up for transportation, as well as silk screen and block prints. About ten years out from his last art showing in Mexico, Mr. Fink is excited to return to Mexico City and have an opportunity to show his work in the city of his birth.