Derek Rodriguez is a painter, printmaker, and photographer whose work explores memory, trauma, and the unspoken language of the subconscious. Raised in an isolated and over-controlled environment, he learned early on to communicate through observation rather than words. Art became the first place where he could express himself without hesitation.

After serving as a cryptologic technician and intelligence photographer in the U.S. Navy, Derek returned to painting with renewed focus. His work blends slow, deliberate techniques with emotionally charged imagery—spiders, geometric enclosures, fragmented bodies—to uncover the structures of fear, identity, and transformation.

Through a disciplined yet intuitive process, Derek creates work that is honest, unsettling, and deeply human. He hopes that his practice helps others feel seen in the quiet, difficult parts of their own inner lives.