I liked this piece because of the whimsical and unexpected elements that he combines here. All the doodle-type images combined with the car look really interesting.
I describe what I do as bold, fun, bizarre, bright, weird, colorful, cultured and innocent.
How did you end up pursuing art professionally?
I started drawing since I was about five back in Mexico, I remember watching cartoons that would only come up on weekends, so I would draw and make up my own episodes. I didn’t quite had many toys as a kid but I did have pens and color pencils. My mom would always provide me with some materials so I could entertain myself creating things. I was always driven to draw cartoons and always loved the murals on the walls, I feel pretty lucky that I grew with a supportive family, my mom would singed me up for this arty summer school so I could learn a bit of what art was about. I came to America in 2003 and learned English from scratch… In high school I was surrounded with the coolest teachers and peers, as a result I ended up taking most the art courses and doing a few regional shows. I always knew that I wanted to be an artist but I didn’t know exactly what kind. My teachers encouraged me to go to art school and I did. I also met with one of my great friends Adam Weiler who runs an after school art club named Ambrose where I learned and experience my hands getting dirty by doing what artist were doing, it was amazing just to see how the show behind the curtain in being run by different types of professionals. Adam and his ideas always inspired me to grow and I truly belief in his motto “Joy and Revolution” I feel like if there was no Ambrose a big chunk of me would not have born. In college I have made great relationships and I’ve come across people that care and people that are full of talent and energy, just by being close to those people I learn new things and sponge it all in. I think just being true to myself and showing what I am and sharing it with others as much as what I want to say on my artwork shows it thanks to people that believe in me, big thank you to everyone.
What do you like the most about doing this kind of work?
I love doing my work because I make it flexible, I try to make it fresh whether is digital or an actual traditional painting, I’m always curious of trying new stuff and let me tell you I fail a lot on the process but I always take something out of it. I avoid chaining myself and repeating drawing the same exact thing, I love working on a different variety of projects such as: paintings, inks, digitals, stickers, stencils, photos, t-shirts, cards etc. I tent to make my work fit under a certain theme and carry on the same style so it stays consistent. How do you go about starting a project? I get inspired by the things I see, I always carry my camera and take lots of pictures, I use my pictures as reference many times, I make color palettes and apply them on my artwork, besides using photography I also carry paper and a sketchbook. I doodle a lot everyday (ever since I can remember), sometimes I came up and finish with a nice little drawing or a really crappy one with a thousand scrubbily lines. Sometimes the original sketches of my finish art ended up starting in a restaurant’s napkin, great ideas usually start with a pencil and some paper.
What is your workspace like?
Is kinda funny when it comes about talking about my workspace, People would just assume I have an art studio in a secret industrial building with lots of magic and of course space. The truth is I always work in different areas from a cafe all the way to my uncle’s basement. I can get lots done on the go since I always have a laptop on me (most of the time) I get my digitals done where ever I am. I usually get my paintings done in my bedroom (yes next to my bed). Currently my room has three tables lined up against the wall, where I keep my materials and get my work done. I tent to tape images on my wall that is always facing me.. I always enjoy looking at other artist work and it inspires me to do what I love. I have prints of some of my favorite artists, vinyl toys, vintage toys, art books, magazines, books, a set of four jones soda arty series, and a boba fett helmet from star wars.
What is the most challenging project that you’ve done?
I think it was doing a logo for this company which involve a puppy and a Jacuzzi, which it was for this weird product of a carwash box for dogs… they ended up drooping it because they just decided not to like me. It is always a challenge when bad communication meets JUST MAKE IT PRETTY.
What do you think is the biggest influence on your work?
I have so many influences on my work, basically the kind of stuff I can appreciate and respect from my experiences. Some of my influences are: childhood, fun, vintage toys, street art, Mexico,unity, my family, colors, cultures, relationships, growing up, dangers that we face while growing up, change, simplicity, truth, limitless. But I guess the biggest influence that I brings my artwork together is the idea of honesty, plain simple but I believe that as long as there is honesty any sorts of things happen like joy or challenges in our everyday journey.
