Today we’d like to introduce you to Gino Burman-Loffredo.
Hi Gino, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
When my friend contacted me to say he recommended that I tell my story for VoyageLA Magazine, I wondered what story he had in mind. I’ve always considered my story a work in progress, and have changed my direction many times. Originally from Colorado, then Wisconsin, and now in LA for over 20 years, I’ve lived many different lives, and continue to embark on new adventures. My current adventure is working towards getting my teaching credential, as I have found a passion for working with kids after having a daughter.
This new experience has not been without its challenges. I did not finish college before moving to LA and only had a semester under my belt from the University of Minnesota. I tried to continue my college through correspondence courses, but in 2002, there was no “online learning” and distance learning was done through the mail. The bright lights and dreams of being a Hollywood actor got in the way of doing any school work, and I failed all my classes. This would be one of the many challenges when returning to college 20 years later, as I would need to work hard to raise my cumulative grade point average to get into another university.
In those 20 years, I tasted the limelight through acting in various commercials for AT&T, Mercedes, Trojan, Miller Lite, and more, while also modeling for Apple, Volkswagen, Target, Sony, and more. I painted large-scale murals for Starbucks and different cities in LA while traveling to over 37 countries for months at a time and maintaining a steady job (the shoedesk)for 17 years at Lucky Strike Lanes Bowling Alley in Hollywood. That shoedesk job was always my anchor as the waves of an artistic career ebb and flow. It also provided me with some of my best friendships, and where I eventually met my wife.
My wife and I married in 2015 and recently celebrated our 10th anniversary. We bought a house in Granada Hills in 2018 and had our daughter in 2022. I was unprepared for the responsibilities of marriage, home ownership, and having a child, especially with the unpredictable nature of an artistic career, and my job at the bowling alley being lost during COVID, as well as the other careers due to California’s restrictions. However, during those years of unemployment, I got to be with my wife and our new daughter. We could understand what was important in life and go through a metamorphosis.
I decided to return to college and work towards getting my degree in Elementary Education, as I wanted to be a teacher. I started at Pierce Community College, as I knew I could take a few summer classes online that wouldn’t cost that much to see if I could pull this off. In two years, I graduated Summa Cum Laude, with associate degrees in Arts and Humanities, STEM, Elementary Teacher Education, and Social and Behavioral Sciences, all online. I am currently getting my bachelor’s degree in elementary education and teaching credentials at WGU while waiting for my student teaching placement.
At 42, I am so grateful to be entering a career where I can give back, help the next generation succeed, and give purpose to all the skills I have acquired. I look forward to where this journey will take me, and can’t wait to celebrate graduation with family who have supported this career change. It’s not easy to change course or pivot later in life, but it also wouldn’t be worth it if it were.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
A lot of my struggles have been self-imposed. I didn’t want to spend money on a car, so I learned how to take public transportation and skateboard for the first 10 years of living in L.A. Financially, it was a smart move, but it made getting around more difficult and added stress to some of my relationships. The same could be said about not finishing college earlier, as it would have been much easier to just go after a credential at 40, rather than having to get a B.A. as well. I could have also chosen to put 17 years into building a company rather than into working at a bowling desk. Many of these decisions were made because I did not want to grow up and take on larger responsibilities. I recognize this now, but you can get caught up in living the “struggling artist” life and take that on as an identity or badge of honor rather than working hard to accomplish something more.
Some of the biggest struggles were just living the life of an artist, actor, and model. It’s great when you are booking gigs and selling work, but for the most part, it’s a life of constant rejection. You grow a thick skin, but you’re still human. The soul can only take so many “almosts” before it internalizes a narrative that diminishes the light you once had. I’m lucky I got snapped out of that reality with the birth of my daughter. She is such a joy and made me realize there is much to be grateful for. She has made me look at life differently and understand the reward of responsibilities. Struggles no longer look like work; they look like opportunity.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am most known for my intricate artwork that can visually tell the story of what is happening in my life through symbolism, and the interconnected weaving of emotions and life events that characterize that time in my life. My murals do the same for the communities and neighborhoods they are painted. I have the gift of extracting imagery from underneath the surface of what is “not being said” and bringing it to life in a more holistic representation. One drawing I am incredibly proud of is about my wife and the challenges, growth, and heartache that we went through while trying to have a child. The piece is aptly called Miss Carriage, and depicts the moment we learned of her first pregnancy coming to a halt. This piece bonded us together as my wife wrote a poem, and I was able to put imagery to her words. Many of my pieces are deeply personal and therefore aren’t necessarily for everyone, but they hold a palpable truth. I also do work that is more enjoyable to the public and has a similar style, but I am most proud of the work that resonates at a deeper level.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I believe the artistic industries are already seeing drastic changes. With the advent of AI, many companies are already dismantling the human element of artistic form to create with computers because they are faster and can provide the “same thing.” Even as a muralist, I’ve seen machines paint a mural on a wall with exact precision and in less time. However, being someone who has lived before the internet and after, I think the art industries will return when the next generation becomes more interested in learning “how” to paint rather than putting in a prompt to make their photograph look like a painting. I don’t think sitting in front of a screen for most activities will be rewarding anymore. The enjoyment of creating, learning, and participating in a skill will be more critical in the future.
I believe this to be the same with education. I think many concepts of learning to read, write, and do math will be taught by an AI tutor so that each student can learn individually and at their own pace. Since each person can individually learn at their own time and from anywhere, more time can be allocated to teaching kids real-life skills in the classroom, and only devoting an hour or two to online learning. Students will learn more practical skills, like how to grow and make food, fix a car, use a credit card, invest, fix things, and work through their emotions in healthy ways so they become more capable and confident human beings. I’m excited about what is to come, as we cannot continue making human capabilities obsolete.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: ginoflo
