Alexander Salazar, Interview with San Diego Art Dealer, Gallery Owner and Businessman in Behind the Scenes Conversations with Cathy Breslaw

Alexander Salazar was born and raised in Houston Texas, the youngest of a family of seven children. 

Alexander Salazar

San Diego is a long way from home – yet he has claimed his roots in a city where he is committed to establishing an arts district. He has over 10 years of experience as an art dealer and has lived and studied in other parts of the U.S. and Europe.  In my conversation at his gallery, Salazar explained that he was first inspired by art when his high school English teacher showed his class slides of her trip to Europe and all the art she saw there.

Salazar received a BA degree in Sociology from Colorado College, an MA in Art History and Sociology from Boston College, and an MTS in Theological Studies from Harvard University.  During his sophomore year in college, he spent a year studying art history in London and Florence. Prior to working in the business of art, Salazar was an educator. He was a middle school advisor at the LULAC Educational Centers in Houston, a college counselor assistant during summer programs at the Phillips and Andover Academies, a college admissions officer at Lesley College, an associate director at the Summerbridge program for middle school students, and a teacher at the Sanchez Charter School where he taught U.S. History, English, Photography and ESL.

Salazar’s jump from educator to art dealer is curious, but that can be explained in his philosophy about selling art. Salazar sees his mission as “teaching people about art”. His first art related job at the Wentworth Galleries in Massachusetts taught him that if you “tell people everything about a piece of art and the artist, you don’t have to ask for the sale”. Salazar moved to San Diego to open a gallery for his previous employer and soon after, he found himself working as an art dealer in La Jolla, Laguna Beach, and Newport Beach.  These years of honing his skills and art expertise led him to growing his own retail art spaces and in 2010 he opened his doors as Alexander Salazar Fine Art.

Salazar has accomplished a great deal since 2010, and toward his goal to develop a San Diego arts district. His art spaces include: White Box Contemporary Art, Alexander Salazar Fine Art, Salazar Artist in Residence, and annex locations at the Palomar Hotel, Hilton Bayfront and Andaz Hotel. All of these locations are in close proximity to one another and all serve as sales spaces for art that cover opportunities for both beginning as well as seasoned collectors, art consultants and designers  and a range of artists’ work from emerging to more established artists. He represents mostly painters. Salazar has also branched into doing art fairs including the Aspen Art Fair , Houston Art Fair and San Diego Art Fair.

Alexander Salazar Fine Art Gallery, San Diego

Salazar has put his own personal stamp on the San Diego art scene by taking big risks to open several locations of galleries and serving many different levels of the art community.  He is first and foremost a businessman with a vision for the future while fulfilling a huge need in San Diego for places where art can be both discussed and sold.