Today we’d like to introduce you to Vanessa Gamboa.
Vanessa, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
When I was growing up, I taught myself to hand sew. I wanted to be a fashion designer, and I’d obsess over high fashion magazines that focused on runway shows. The colors, textures, sculptural elements and infinite possibilities amazed me. I eventually started drawing what I’d see in magazines and finally took my first art class in high school. I realized visual art was something I was passionate about and my art teacher encouraged me to pursue it as a career.
I attended Cal State Long Beach, graduating in 2016 with a BFA in Drawing & Painting. At the beginning of my educational experience, I mainly thought in terms of 2D media. I loved drawing and painting from observation and paying attention to shape, form, and lighting. While studying painting and diving into abstraction, I started thinking more about composition which led me to photography. Outside of class, I was photographing nature, becoming obsessed with fungi and plants and admiring the natural world. For me, mushrooms represent a diversity of transformations; where new life grows from decay, adding beauty to the landscape in the process.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I would consider myself a mixed media artist; I currently work mainly with fiber art. I make quilts and soft sculptures using hand dyed fabric, translating color mixing and elements of painting into 3D fiber forms. I use both machine and hand sewing techniques, specifically a hand sewing technique called English Paper Piecing.
Photography and mushroom hunting has been an important routine to my practice. When my focus shifted to natural elements, I wanted less toxic alternatives to the oil paints I had been using. I use non-synthetic fiber reactive dyes and natural dyes to create color with less environmental impact. Using natural dyes from foraged plants and mushrooms has allowed natural processes to inform my work directly.
While I’m still inspired by artists who draw and paint traditionally, like Alexander Viazmensky or Andrew Wyeth, I’m also inspired by other contemporary fiber and mixed media artists like Polly Apfelbaum, Paul Yore, and Katie Bethune-Leamen. I think there’s an unspoken hierarchy in the art gallery world, where craft and fiber art are often less respected because of the type of labor involved. I don’t believe such artistic hierarchies should exist. I hope others can see value in all art mediums and see the value in experimentation and exploration beyond what is taught in school or valued on the art market.
Artists rarely, if ever pursue art for the money. Nonetheless, we all have bills and responsibilities, and many aspiring artists are discouraged from pursuing art due to financial reasons. Any advice or thoughts you’d like to share with prospective artists?
I wish I could say I pay the bills with my art but I have a day job. In a way, having a job separate from my art practice prevents money from controlling my creative output. I think it’s important to fight for your free time and be kind to yourself when you’re not as prolific as you think you should be. Finding a support community of artists facing similar financial situations can help sustain an art practice; you’re never alone in your artistic experiences!
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
I post works in progress and information about upcoming shows on my Instagram @fungus_queen. My online portfolio is at vanessagamboa.com.
Contact Info:
- Website: vanessagamboa.com
- Instagram: fungus_queen
- Other: fa4collective.com
Image Credit:
Vanessa Gamboa
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
