Today we’d like to introduce you to Corey La Rue
Hi Corey, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My wife and I started Gallery Mariposa LA during my recovery from my near fatal motorcycle accident in June, 2023. I was in a coma for three days with numerous injuries and broken bones. Recovery was not easy, I had to learn how to walk again and spent two months in the hospital, at Hollywood Presbyterian. During those days I thought about all the things I wanted to do in life, starting a gallery to showcase the talent of Los Angeles was one of them-especially since my wife is from here-born and raised in K-town. So Los Angeles has special meaning for me and us.
I’m an artist/painter and most of the artists I know we show. I feel that this direct access and sensibility is something that separates us from others-though there are a couple of really good galleries that have the same sense of hospitality-galleries that have shown me kindness when I fist moved to LA to be with my wife-galleries like One Trick Pony, Lowell Ryan Projects, Sow and Tailor, and the Lodge.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it definitely has not been a smooth road for starters, I started Gallery Mariposa from the revenue generated from my art sales for which I’m very grateful- but due to my injuries and current recovery from my motorcycle accident-funding has been difficult. More procedures still await me, this is of course concurrent with growing medical expenses. I am still receiving treatment and have another major surgery to go through before I can say that I am done with surgical procedures, and I am also now disabled. I lost to use of my right arm from the impact of my motorcycle accident ripping my brake plexus nerve bundle in half. The nerve bundle was repaired, with more surgeries and physical therapy required in order to gain at least some function. I paint now and do everything in life with my left arm and hand. I had to relearn how to write, paint, and operate in the world in this way. It’s been challenging and very frustrating at times.. because of this my wife and I placed Gallery Mariposa into a seasonal hiatus though we have plans coming up this year in 2025.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m an artist and painter originally from Oakland, California. I moved to Los Angeles in 2017 to be with my then girlfriend now wife Valerie Palomo. I received my MFA from Boston University in 2016 before then I was a student at UC Davis where I met my wife. While I was a a student at Davis, I was a philosophy major with the emphasis in the philosophy language. I completed my independent studies in critical theory, art history, and trained with art activist Malaquias Montoya. After spending a nearly a year as an assistant to Montoya I was encouraged to apply to fine art programs. Boston University was one of the top programs that was recommended. I applied and got in with two scholarships. I was so very happy. After graduating, I spent time abroad on an artist residency in Finland for two months afterwards I spent time in Oaxaca Mexico, in an artist residency there for another two months, from there I moved to Los Angeles and my life as an artist truly began.
The community in Los Angeles is wonderful. I’ve been shown kindness warmth, and generosity. It’s a beautiful city worthy of all the praise it gets and I’m glad to be part of it. Sure there are some hard lessons to be learned anywhere, but I’m glad that the end of the day I can say that Los Angeles has my back and I’m there for it too.
I would say that, as an artist what currently sets me apart is my disability. I am one-handed and I still paint in fact, I never stopped painting the moment I woke up from my coma while I was still in the ICU I started to work as much as I could, even with my hand in the cast. My left arm and hand was reconstructed. This is the only usable hand that I have and so using it to create pastel paintings while in the hospital had it’s difficulties, there is something inside of me that refuses to give up I feel at times like there is a fire burning inside of me, refusing to allow me to stop refusing to allow me to stand still, and I use this fire to create. I have never stopped and I will never stop for no other reason then to just create I am unconcerned with the opportunities that might appeal to others. My only focus is to create something that is memorable and worthwhile of my life.
What were you like growing up?
Going up, I had it hard. My father left when I was merely months old and my mother had her struggles. There was abuse and much violence in and around my home. I myself lacked structure and it wasn’t before long that I found myself involved in gangs. I got mixed up with the wrong crowd very young and became a drug dealer around the age of 13. I also ran away a lot, and hardly went to school. Shortly after I found myself in juvenile hall as a ward of the state.
Though through these tribulations, I found myself- I had the opportunity to show the court that I was turning over a new leaf to participate in an art therapy program hosted by a local nonprofit. It was through this program that I eventually found myself. My life started to quickly change as I started to excel in the structure that the art program afforded me. I was shocked to find that even as a teenager people within that program wanted to buy my paintings. I started making money as a kid just selling my art that eventually led lead me down the path of graduating from the continuation high school that I was enrolled in. It was through this program that I was exposed to great artists- ones I still admire like Richard Diebenkorn, Mark, Rothko, Helen Frankenthaler -and others.
I would say from a young age I was always a hustler, always figuring out ways to make a profit so that I could buy myself clothes and food, while having enough to share. I was always an artist too though, it just took the right people to believe in me, in order for me to get to, to where I always dreamed of seeing myself in life. Community is everything, without that, without each other we cannot be successful.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @flamenhotcheetoz, @gallery_mariposa_la
Image Credits
Photos by Corey La Rue and Jorge Muñoz
