With The Artist ñ

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 sat down with him to dive deeper into his journey as a student and teacher, and examine his approach to the art of mural making.

We sit down with Phyrun to discuss concept art, video games, and his goals as a professional industry artist.

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".