Born 1986 | Mexican-American
Represented by Nicodim Gallery
Living and working in Phoenix, Arizona.
What is one mantra that you live by in regards to your practice as an artist?
I have several mantras depending on the season, but a common one is, “To move, you must first be moved”, a phrase I heard from a film director while talking about storytelling. As a painter in the realm of narrativity, this phrase is a constant reminder to not shy away from, ahem, earnestness or sincerity regardless of the dynamic contemporary conversation at hand.
How does family influence your artwork?
They keep me grounded. It’s impossible for me to get away with viewing myself as extra-special. They see me from all angles, the studio pose and pathetic mishaps. I also get a lot of inspiration from observations I make while spending time with my immediate and extended family.
What is your creative process and has it evolved?
I think my process has always depended on the intention of trying to end up with works that tangibly transmit elements of my personality or attitude. That aim hasn’t changed. Sometimes this means overtly overriding design elements in my work for the purpose of transmission, or allowing awkward decisions to persist in a painting. If my work starts to look too “designy” or “put together” I know I have a problem. And often times the best solution is to throw a wrench into the process.
Practically though, my process comes from a mix of memory, imagination, and comedy around recurring subjects in art history and/or the human experience in general. For imagery, I like to pull from what’s most familiar to me (i.e. my own lived experience) and constantly look for connections between ordinary daily routines with larger cultural, social, or even existential themes. The combination of these seemingly opposing poles is exhilarating to me.
Finally, I must add that I take a lot of cues from the Old Masters. I know it’s virtually taboo to talk about the Western canon now, but regardless of how one feels about it, their mastery of visual storytelling is undeniable. They developed ways of conveying nuanced layers of meaning, emotions, and drama. I love to take some of those mechanisms used for weighty subject matters, and apply them to unsophisticated subjects.
Who is somebody currently living that you have the most respect for in the art world?
Celeste Dupuy-Spencer has always stayed true to her deepest convictions and is unwilling to follow any aesthetic or business playbook for the contemporary artist career. Over the years, studio visits with Celeste have become an inspiring recalibration for me.
What is the most interesting art fair that you have been to or heard about that you would like to attend?
I haven’t been to many art fairs, but Felix in Los Angeles is always fun. I like the intimate space where I can get up close to the work and visualize it in a quasi-living room. It’s also manageable in size, other fairs can be overwhelming.
What type of environment would be the most fulfilling for a residency?
I have never participated in a residency. With a young family, it’s difficult to say. At this point, I would definitely experience guilt leaving everyone to go paint alone somewhere. So, I suppose the kind that will allow the entire family to join. Ideally though, I’d love to do something in Los Angeles soon. I’ve been working out of Phoenix which already seems like an exile-type residency as is. It would be nice to be in LA or NY, or any major art city for a short period of time and really immerse myself in the community.
What new institutional collection would you like to be in?
I would like to be in any new institutional collection. In all seriousness, I have no idea. Whoever is willing to support my career and lend works for a future retrospective, I suppose.
Describe what an ideal space would look like for one of your artworks to reside in.
I haven’t thought about that too much. It’s hard to picture my work in homes, and hardly ever think about where they will end up. I just hope wherever they live, they are displayed and seen. Although, it would be epic to see one of these in one of those giant Italian basilicas.
Which artist or artists would you like to be in a group show with in the future?
Robert Yarber, Neo Rauch, Celeste Dupuy-Spencer, Kyle Staver, Jess Valice, Friedrich Kunath, Christian Rex van Minnen, Imon Boy, Paco Pomet, Louise Bonnet, Liu Xiaodong, Kerry James Marshall, Caroline Walker, Jonni Cheatwood, Todd Bienvenu, and many many more.
If I were to take you to a city of your choice, what city would it be and which three art initiatives would you like to visit?
I’d love to go to Spain. I’d obviously visit Velasquez at Museo del Prado, Picasso at Museu Picasso, and Sorolla at Museo Sorolla. Please, someone, take me!
What part of the art ecosystem excites you the most for the future of your practice?
I think the ever-growing variety of participants brings the unique challenge as a painter to look for universal threads. As the contemporary conversation progresses with new styles and visions, I’m interested in how much of the human experience stays the same, albeit expressed differently. The more the better.
