Javier Zaragoza was born in Ajijic, Jalisco in the beautiful area around Lake Chapala on March 18, 1944.

Inspired by the beauty of the Lake and it's surrounding hills, he made his first drawings and paintings when he was seven years old. When he was 13 he began his first artistic studies at the Instituto Allende in San Miguel de Allende, Gto. At the age of 18 he went to Los Angeles, Ca. where he continued studying in the L.A. Trade Technology Collage and the Pasadena Art Center.

His first employment was with Gannet Outdoor Co. specializing in commercial advertising and later worked for the Warner Brothers in Los Angeles. He has exhibited his paintings in Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon. Since March 1999 he has had a permanent exhibition in Galeria Zaragoza in Ajijic, Jal. and has three expositions a year in the Jalisco area.

There have been preserved six impressive murals with religious themes measuring 3 x 5 meters each in the church of Ixtlahuacan de los Membrillos, Jalisco, painted by Javier Zaragoza when he was 16 years old.

Javier's oil paintings capture the expressions and feelings of Mexico's native people with exquisite detail. His portraits of older men and women are specially captivating. He also paints landscapes which portray  the essence of Mexican life, and vibrant still lifes of fruit and vegetables for your dining room and kitchen.

His works now form a part of the collection at Galeria Vallarta in both their Puerto Vallarta galleries.