Artist Jerry Salinas paints light-filled impressionist portraits of travelers in Europe who are enjoying art, food and culture. Jerry studied illustration and painting at the American Academy of Art in Chicago. After graduation, he went to work as a commercial illustrator for several advertising agencies, which he credits as keeping him in fine art. In the early 2000s, Jerry made a fortuitous move from Chicago to Phoenix. With the help and encouragement of his wife, he transitioned to a career as a full-time painter. Today Jerry works from a bright studio space with surrounding views of Phoenix Mountains Preserve. “You’re welcome to visit, but you may have to sit for a portrait,” he says with a smile. Jerry’s artwork has been exhibited at the Museum of the West in Scottsdale and in gallery shows throughout the United States with the Oil Painters of America and the American Impressionist Society. When he’s not working, Jerry and his wife run a medical mission that brings doctors, nurses and volunteers to northern Mexico.