Conversations with Regina Lavenant

Today we’d like to introduce you to Regina Lavenant.

Hi Regina, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Ever since I remember I always wanted to be an artist. Growing up in Los Angeles and having the parents I did definitely molded me into the artist I am today. I have always loved to paint and had creative hobbies as a child. My dad has been a tattoo artist my whole life, he has taught me the ins and outs of it. My mom has always worked and had her own balloon business while also having stuff to sell from the house. My name is Regina Martina Lavenant aka DAMN Gina and I am an artist from Lakewood California currently in Sacramento. I was born April 10, 1991 and this is my story.

My parents would drive us early in the morning to the alleys in downtown (the toy district) to go buy stuffed dolls and gifts to wrap to sell in the streets and to friends and family. We’d go to the Qualitex store to buy balloons and fill up the helium tanks. I even went to classes with my mom to learn about creating decorative pieces. My parents had brought home a book one day to create twisting balloons I picked it up right away. They booked me some parties where I got paid to make them when I was about nine, I was nervous but it was fun. My parents volunteered a lot at Willow, my elementary school. I was able to set a table up in class and sell some things we had from the house. In the 3rd grade, I won a drawing competition and was invited to the city hall to meet the mayor of Lakewood along with other winners from different schools, that was a great experience and a proud moment. Even though I’m still upset because my parents missed my 6th-grade graduation, they where still on their grind to make extra money for us, selling gifts we had made for graduation. At the age of 11, I was able to do my first tattoo on my dad, I was into happy faces at that time so that’s what he got. From then, he kept teaching me little things to learn more. I remember him telling me ide have to learn to make my own needles one day, so he made sure I was set at an early age.

At 13, we moved to Sacramento, Ca. I worked with my mom at Denios flea market on the weekends for about a year when I was a freshmen at Kennedy high school. Later I went to Sheldon high where I was introduced to art classes. Art 1,2,and ceramics. I can say I was definitely a natural at most things introduced to me. At 16 I was gifted tattoo machines that is when I started and my dad would make me a packet of homework to take to school and start to practice calligraphy.

19 years old I left my job, acquired a tattoo license and went to work with my dad. Little did I know I would end up doing piercings. I learned to love it, especially all the people I was able to meet. Some have become long-term friends and customers. And I am so grateful for that. From being really shy, quiet and nervous when clients would get scared before their piercings I became more outgoing, open, and confident. Within a year some laws were changed so we were no longer able to work in that establishment. Unfortunately, I went through a really rough moment where a family friend of ours ended up going into a coma, it really pushed me and got me going in the direction I really want in my life, which was culinary arts! So I decided to move back to L.A. and go to college.

At 22, I went to paramount to stay with my aunt, signing up to Cerritos college. I continued to move and had trouble getting a job so I eventually had to drop out. I ended up signing up for job corps in downtown L.A. which took me three attempts of going until I was finally able to enter. I was ready to give up but I couldn’t because that was a dream of mine since 12 to be a cook. I had to drop my car off to my parents before I went so I drove to Sacramento. I found all my painting supplies I was collecting in my old room. So I painted four paintings, I was really depressed at this point from a breakup, moving so much, not being able to find a good job, and dropping out of college.

Realizing I can express and relax myself with painting I continued too, also with working on my culinary education at job corps. I did the best I could in class and wanting more experience in cooking to make sure ide always have job security. I signed up for advanced training in San Francisco. I knew I was going to go there my first day of school when one of the teachers told me about it, so I made sure to tell him when I was leaving about one year later. All my teachers and councilors were proud of me. It was kind of scary to get into, all I received was a packet to look at and no other information from students going, they had no record in the last four years of someone going there. I had to talk to my mental health doctor to get approved, I was having problems of depression, anxiety around a lot of people, and ptsd. I played it off so I can go.

Which then resulted me in crying almost every day after school, my first-week I’d go sit by the water a lot. At lunch, ide go smoke cigarettes in the greenhouse in the garden. I got me a job real soon after starting school. I got in trouble for it but I was so happy to be part of a kitchen finally. At both schools I made friends that painted with me it was so much fun that I tried getting people that don’t usually paint and they loved it and that made me happy.

Through San Francisco Job Corps I got hired to work in Tahoe after I graduated, so I was finally able to paint from my own home not in a dorm and work a full-time kitchen job. That is when people noticed my artwork and I started to acquire commissions. I’m currently in Sacramento where I feel at home with my family. I am able to have more help, resources, and knowledge to continue being creative. I like to test my skills and knowledge in order to better myself in everything that I do. I have dedicated a lot of my time into my work and I love it.

I’d like to thank everyone for reading this, for all the love and support everyone has always given me, especially my parents.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Some challenges I have faced have been times where I doubt myself or have the feeling of insecurity. About my paintings, I tell myself to keep going and trust the process, there are times I’ve thought I wasn’t going to finish paintings but I did, and they turned out amazing.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in acrylic painting which I have been doing since 2014. I like to paint surrealism, cartoon, and portrait-type art. I’ve recently have gotten into digital art which I am learning to embroider as well to create merchandise.

We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
During lockdown from covid, I had an artist block and I was able to spend time to myself away from work and really think about life and what I wanted to do with my art. I learned to appreciate time with people more, being that I already spend a lot of time alone while painting.

Contact Info:

• Website: reginalavenant.com
• Instagram: @damnginapaints