Steve Cruz, a Dallas artist and gallery owner, will be exhibiting some of his paintings in a group exhibit on the First Friday Art Trial in the Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts, 511 Ave K. The exhibit will be on display until July 16.

Cruz sat down with GO! to discuss his views on art, politics, gender and sin.

GO!: How did you begin painting?

Steve Cruz: At 5 years old my parents gave me art materials to preoccupy me and keep me quiet.

So what inspires you to continue today?

They tell you not to be influenced in art school, but I enjoy folk and surrealist art. I am not interested in contemporary art. I find I will go to museums and look at historical art. I then take what I see from those paintings and put my own spin on things.

What's the reaction from viewers when they see your work for the first time?

Their reactions range from being annoyed to being amused. A lot of the themes in my art are pretty universal. They derive from classical motifs, but the art has a cartoony feel to it so the art is not somber.

What has been the most interesting exhibit you've participated in?

The most fun I've had with a show was years ago when I was a member of 500X. The gallery allowed us to use an enormous space. I painted a mural, which was a challenge because you had no restraints. I had elaborate ideas and different themes throughout the art. For example, I paint female and male gender dynamics. The male is based on stereotypical males, the macho type, but I put my own spin on things. The males can become conflicted and adrift and the women become powerful throughout the painting.

What is 7th Street Mural Project?

We are trying to create a neighborhood. One side of the street has industry buildings and the other is our houses. The companies allowed us to paint the back of their buildings so people can explore the neighborhood. It is a group of Oak Cliff artists who have painted the buildings. We are hoping to grow the project.

Why does your work address issues of sex and confused genders?

Some artists are afraid to address those issues; I think it is funny. Every male and female has aspects of the other gender in their personalities. I might draw a very male character with homosexual tendencies. It becomes a more intriguing dynamic and brings up more questions to the viewer.

Your work often explores the idea of sin. How do you define sin?

My work represents sin and what people think of sin.... Sin is something that oversteps boundaries of social and moral contracts. I think God has written certain rules and regulations to live by, but some rules we should lead our lives by anyway. Some rules are also pretty ridiculous.

I don't think God has written rules about sexual behavior. I don't think God is wasting his time worrying about a male going out with another male and a female going out with another female. These are important things to think about that are often swept under the carpet.

You seem to be equally concerned with political correctness. Contradiction?

I am not against political correctness, but I think it sometimes becomes overwhelming and irrational. I don't always endorse my paintings, but I think the imagination needs to create and have no restraints.

By doing so I am not creating motel art. It has a dynamic and things are happening.

When and why did you open your own art gallery?

The gallery opened six years ago. I have had two different spaces in those six years. I started off with a small space and then moved into a larger one. I was always going to galleries and complaining about the artists featured in the galleries. I realized there were not enough women, Latinos, African Americans and so on. I had enough complaining and decided to do something about it.

Mighty Fine Arts Gallery...I read it had a second connotation.

What is that?

I played off the title Master of Fine Arts. I figured when people googled MFA my name was bound to pop up somewhere.

I know many people have a derogatory connotation for MFA, but that was not my intention.