When he was twelve, he emigrated to Brazil and attended drawing and painting classes. He got the second medal at the Fine Arts Exhibition in Río de Janeiro.In 1929, he came back to Goián and went on exhibiting his painting in Brazil and Spain. His work was also exhibited in most museums in Galicia. Lugo's Museum even dedicated him a special room called 'Antonio Fernández'.
His great sensitivity was reflected in his painting. It was simple and full of light. By means of colourful associations (green, blue and ochre), he painted beautiful landscapes, mountains and animals as for example his oil Atardecer na montaña. Within the exhibitions celebrated between 1922 and 1936 we can stand out his works Vueltas al aprisco, Viernes Santo, As fiandeiras, Rebaño, Paisaje con ovejas and some others about pastoral theme.In his last years he focussed on marine landscapes.