Study in Light 01, 2020
Digital Photography

Study in Light is a project that originated in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unable to work in studio and maintaining social distancing, the project centered itself on creating images that served as photographic sketches. Using only outdoor areas in Los Angeles, the photographer’s hand is pictured creating a record of the quality of light as it appears unmodified in the location and on skin. The series resulted in more than references and instead began to suggest a world constantly out of reach. Each time shown as focused no further than arm’s length.

On Community and Public Art

“The pandemic has created the opportunity to take to the streets, not only as individuals but also as establishments [in Hollywood]. I look forward to exploring areas that embrace road closures and extended platforms on parking lots. Making Los Angeles more pedestrian friendly is the right step in cultivating public art and community.”

Charles, 2020
Photography

The majority of my work involves working in very large crowds of people. The pandemic made it impossible to be at concerts or large events. I came up with the idea to take socially-distanced portraits of people at their homes during quarantine, as a way to try and stay creative and busy and to connect with people in whatever way was safe and possible. All of the shoots were done outside, around people’s homes, in a safe and comfortable environment. They weren’t overthought or planned, and I didn’t use any special lighting or fancy studio equipment. It was also a way to push myself out of my comfort zone.

On Community and Public Art

“I’m looking forward to seeing people come together as a community [in North Hollywood], we’ve been missing out on that for so long during the pandemic. Art shows and concerts and theatre are creative outlets for so many of us, but also a way for people to connect and share experiences.”

My current artwork was ignited by the pandemic. The continued announcement of covid victims took a toll on my spirit. I had to find an outlet to process the layers of information by the media, including the George Floyd murder. This series of work is to honor those who have lost their lives in 2020 in a permanent and artistic way.

Untitled, 2021
Acrylic paint, flashe and soft pastel on canvas

Wright’s paintings collage architectural features and facades to build mise-en-scenes that exist around the everyday landscape. In recent years they have focused on subjects shown in a manner that is simultaneously surreal and familiar. These common elements are often placed in tragic and alien settings. Each painting is an exercise in technique: the works mimic the machine-made quality of an architectural rendering through isometric posturing and applied textures. Their work invites intimate viewing and challenges the notion of scale through the absence of figures. The paintings aim to challenge the often sober, visual code that exists in architecture by exploring the surreal through materiality and composition.

M2Art & Design Online, 2020
Hybrid of drawing on paper with pencil and pen and Google slides
Image courtesy Maura McLaughlin

Once COVID hit we quickly reconfigured our program to an online, digital design class with a hybrid visual arts component. We filmed 30 videos as remote assistance for the students and began zooming as soon as the school was ready. We studied the work of Henri Matisse and explored drawing, composition, color, communication, photography and character design. The end resulted in portfolios for the students and assets for our final mural.surreal through materiality and composition.

New Reflections, 2021
Photoshop Collage, Rhino Rendering

New Reflections is a public artwork visualization that reimagines interactions in our world influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. It features mirrored surfaces that sway distorting the surrounding environment and participant’s reflections. A tint of color to the mirrors brightens the environment. It only takes a glance and your world is transformed. As other participants enter the space near you, your realities become interwoven. The artwork is about reflection and finding a form that responds to context while inspiring the community. As our world has forever changed, *New Reflection*s is an artwork and visual metaphor to help understand our new world.

On Community and Public Art

“As an artist and community member [of Mid-Wilshire], I am looking forward to exploring how community engagement has changed as the city reopens. I am interested in observing how the fabric and dynamic of the community has shifted since this period of immense change in our lives.”

The Quiet Before the Music, 2019
Photography

The pandemic nearly brought Make Music LA to a halt as venues were shuttered and large gatherings were forbidden. We pivoted by offering musicians the opportunity to live-stream their performances, but many participants didn’t feel tech-savvy enough and virtual performances felt like the antithesis of what Make Music Day is about. Although grateful that technology allowed the music to continue, we are thrilled that people can gather again. Make Music Day offers a unique way to reach out to communities through the universal language of music, to rise together and make our collaborative voices heard.

Resist Hate, Spread Love, 2021
Paint

The Sherman Oaks Chamber Foundation coordinates the painting of all of the LADOT utility boxes located in Sherman Oaks. The boxes are each painted by different local artists. Artists submit their work to our Board who selects the best ones which we believe will enhance the beauty of our community.

On Community and Public Art

“The Sherman Oaks Chamber Foundation continues to paint and maintain all the LADOT utility boxes in Sherman Oaks. The boxes enhance the beauty of our community and help them appreciate and support the idea of public art. It also helps showcase and support our local artists.

[Public Art is:] Beauty, Community, Inclusion.”

Love is Love, 2021
Cross stitch

Wow. I was supposed to have a show last April that has been pushed to this November; and it’s a whole different show. I didn’t want to say the same things. also, making public art helped me get through this year. I needed to find a healthy rebellion and spreading joy seemed the best way. I have plans for many more projects, because of things that I wound up doing during the pandemic.

On Community and Public Art

“[Public Art is:] inclusive, inspiring, encompassing.”

Outside In, 2020
Manzanita branch, twine and electrical

My performers heart turned inward during covid and wrung out through my hands. I am a performing artist and lighting designer. With little outlet for performance over the last year, I set my hands and creator mind to making chandeliers out of manzanita branches.

Untitled, Installation view, 2020
Image courtesy of Theresa Chavez

Punto Lairs inc stems from artist Gabriel Garza’s time developing a sculpture yard and presentation venue based around a buried sculpture in his yard. After an accidental removal of the work, the yard became free to fully invite participation from outside artists–the only stipulation being that they allow the work to be installed outside. Our two-person program has resulted in collaborations with 30 artists in person, as well as additional programming through email and our website that included 6 writers, and 3 digital artists. These images are of a stained glass sculpture by Rochele Gomez, and a painting by Nick Lowe. This was the 9th show in our program.

The start of the pandemic coincided with the grand opening of my creative business. Suffering almost a complete loss in creative opportunities across my mediums of expression, I was severely depressed and demotivated. Forced to think about what I wanted, how to get it and why it was important, I realized I had to continue creating for the sake of the work itself. It helped push me out of depression and into a life I thought was impossible.