With the Artist - Isai Of Los Angeles

Jose Espinoza is the second artist featured from our Summer 2024 exhibition, El Segundo. Formerly a Santa Ana resident, he felt this opportunity to be sort of “homecoming” show, and a stepping stone to future shows. Listen as Jose Espinoza walks us through his home studio, his art process, and his longing to always create.

Off the heels of our Summer 2024 exhibition, El Segundo, we begin our second season of artist features with a spotlight on Inglewood native Andreina Giron. Giron provides a some more insight on the nostalgia and anxiety that encompasses her work. Reflecting on this past summer, showing at the Street Space Gallery with the Santa Ana College Art Galleries, she looks forward to organizing future exhibitions herself. Giron and Santos met during their undergraduate art studies at CSU Dominguez Hills and the art department’s PRAXIS program prior to the 2020 pandemic. As members of the DH Arts Collective, they’ve both bridged their professional practices with missions to promote local arts and perpetuate positive relationships with their respective communities. You can follow Andreina Giron on instagram @andyystart. She invites you to reach out with questions and curiosities.

Back in 2021, we ended our first season of artist features halfway through an outstanding project within the Southern California world of lowriders. After a holiday hiatus, we kicked off 2022 with the second half of one of Los Angeles’ most dynamic, artistic duo. No better way to roll out this year’s first than with a first of our own. Picking up where we left off, we sit down with both Mark Hocutt and Jacqueline Valenzuela - each as an artist in their own right and as a team making major moves. From the first days of filming each artist feature, fast-forwarding months of non-stop work, we catch up with just how much has happened at The Kolor Studio - an auto body shop that serves as an artist studio and community center for a myriad of events. How has Valenzuela evolved her worked in such a short time? Does Mark consider himself an artist yet? What ever happened to the Heart of Gold Impala project? These are some of the questions addressed in this month’s podcast. You can follow Mark Hocutt on instagram @little_lowlows. Follow Jacqueline Valenzuela on instagram @pieldemazapan and visit her artist website at www.jacquelinevalenzuela.com. Feel free to reach out to these artists with any questions.

We began June with artist and friend Gloria “Gem” Sanchez, learning about her work and the path it provides to her family history and cultural ancestry. Diving deeper into conversation, she elaborates on the importance of not only acknowledging a past that existed before her, but embracing what lives inside her. Join us as we  in-depth about her art journey, from her work with the FA4 Collective, her community work with the youth, and the ceremonial practices with the Many Winters Elders Gathering at the Angels Gate Cultural Center in San Pedro, CA. At the time of this podcast, Gloria’s work can be seen on display in the exhibition Cultural Undertow, organized by the Luna Anaïs Gallery at Tin Flats in Los Angeles. The exhibition will continue until July 24th, featuring an artist talk with Mario Ybarra Jr on July 11th.

We recently introduced you to Hugo Lomeli and talked about the art of mural making. We sat down with him to dive deeper into his journey, including the path of a student turned teacher. Lomeli elaborates on taking what he learns and passing it on to the next generation. What first inspired him? What drove his curiosity? Join us as we discuss Lomeli’s passion for engaging communities and his gift for storytelling. In the process we received some encouraging ism’s to hep us get through our journeys as well. Hugo Lomeli invites you to follow him on instagram @hugo_lomeli to see more of his work. ñ want to give a special thanks on behalf of the artists and ourselves to artist and mentor Mario Ybarra Jr from Slanguage Studio in Wilmington, CA. and Ambrosia Coffee Roasters for welcoming us into their space for this artist feature.

Our recent feature with Phyrun Deab introduced you to his work as a concept artist. We venture deeper into his love of videogames and how they influenced his plans to establish himself as a professional artist. Phyrun offers some insight to his experiences and shares some promising advice to go about pursuing work in the competitive industry. From his workflow to his preferred work surfaces, we asked him to elaborate on process and presentation, offering advice to those wondering about what it takes to actively compete in the field of concept art. Join us as he breaks down the essence of concept art and how it applies to various focuses including illustration, animation, and even VR experiences. Phyrun invites you to follow him on instagram @pdeabart to see more of his work. You can also find him online at Artstation. Feel free to reach out with any questions.

We were recently introduced to Isai’s paintings focusing on his parents and their dry cleaning business in connection to South Central, Los Angeles. As he currently works on a third piece to this series reflecting his role running the shop with his family, we spoke with him about his previous work, and how it was influenced by the gentrifying real estate developments in his community. While at Isai’s Inglewood home studio, he shares his experience of having to move due to the high cost of living after the gentrification of his neighborhood took hold. Isai further elaborates on how he perceives small business aesthetics versus modernized “cookie cutter” shop design, as well as the freedom to design your home outside of an HOA system.

ñ opened up 2021 with our artist interview series "As An Artist" featuring Brianna Correa, an artist with roots in Whittier, CA, extending her branches throughout Los Angeles. What seems like two weeks since we've first introduced her has actually been a year from her interview. Join us as we re-visit Briana in her home studio and fill an precedented gap in our timeline with the kickstart of our podcast series "With An Artist".