Today we’d like to introduce you to Salomon Vertiz
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
It’s June, 1985, the Lakers win the NBA championship, there’s the hijacking of TWA Flight 847, Steve Jobs founds NeXT after leaving Apple and a monorail train at Walt Disney World catches fire. I was born on June 15th at Santa Marta Hospital in East Los Angeles (which is presently an adult school owned by the LAUSD) while my father arrives late from visiting his other wife and daughter in Tijuana. My Father didn’t know what to do with me in his arms, my Mother was dictating my first name to a nurse who wrote down “SALOMON” instead of “SOLOMON” and I do believe that I could’ve been a different person with a slight letter change. The contradictory existence of dysfunction is that which informs all of my work.
The perfect escape from all this has always been movies, music and books. Analog forms of entertainment that I enjoy to this day.
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?
Coming from a lower middle-class, I’ve never had the resources to fully dedicate myself to making art. There’s life/work balance, personal matters that will always get in the way. For myself, it’s caretaking for my mother while having a day job and still finding time to work on my art. I think it’s a good thing to have obstacles, challenges that show you a part of your self that you didn’t know was there. As an artist, you yourself are a work-in-progress.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a self-taught writer/artist from Southeast Los Angeles and I express myself through writing, painting, collage. I’ve been published online and in print for Sin Cesar, an anthology journal from South Central Los Angeles. Every time I finish a project, that’s the thing I’m most proud of. Currently that is a series of collage pieces on canvas that blend eroticism, pop culture and cityscapes. Your voice is your currency, only you can tell your story, share your joy, share your pain. Pain is the brand of most tortured artists. Maybe it’s mine too, I don’t know. Some things don’t hurt.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
My sister Vickie Vertiz has given me opportunities for my writing, to grow more confident in my work. My brother has always been supportive, showing up to every performance or random event. My mother always entertains my madness. There’ve been many artists and creative people that I’ve met, without whom some of my work would not be accomplished. Gatherings can be a great social experience. Other times I’m reminded why I prefer spending time on my own.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.saturdaynightwristblog.wordpress.com
- Instagram: @salomon_vertiz
- Twitter: @Salomon_Vertiz
Image Credits
All images/artwork by Salomon Vertiz
