Today we’d like to introduce you to Larry Armstrong
Hi Larry, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I want to start by saying that there is no brief story, but I’ll try. I was Born and Raised Los Angeles, and Currently live here too; so my Art is very informed by the diversity of this city as well as the commercial Industry that runs through it. I grew up and continue to grow around all these different kinds of people – and because of this I carry this very important understanding with me, both in my commercial work and personal work: There is *always* another side to what we are seeing, and very often, considering a different perspective can make ours more interesting.
I began developing my practice as a kid with a Camera in High School – I became friends with an aspiring Model and we bonded over our mutual interests in Fashion – spending most mornings before school taking Editorial style photos in the alleyway, or on the roofs of nearby buildings. After School, and on Weekends, we went thrift shopping and put on Art shows with our friends who were also artists, all of us making work from a place of genuine curiosity – mine at the time was defined by an interest in Fashion.
I went on from High school to study Fine Art at UCLA, where I was challenged to see beyond my interests in Fashion, but I was still hypnotized by the dream of working in the Industry. In my Freshman year at UCLA, I applied for an Internship at Milk Studios in Los Angeles – and this set the foundation for a large majority of the work I have made up to this point. Similar to how the diversity of this city has informed my ability to see many sides of the same story, the commercial nature of Milk Studios would go on to inform a strong commercial direction with my work.
As an Intern at the reception Desk at Milk Studios, I got a first hand look at every step of the production process for the ads and Fashion Campaigns that informed my dreams. At the Front Desk – I was greeting and assisting the Photographers, Models, Stylists, Hair and Makeup Artists, and Production companies that were shooting covers and campaigns that would influence the creative culture of the country and beyond – all while still completing my undergrad degree at UCLA. I became familiar with Industry standards and became immersed in the world, all while still going home to my dorm and taking classes on campus. I was so excited to be in the mix of it all!
I continued Interning and Freelancing at Milk Studios throughout my Undergrad degree, and had some brief stints doing journalism for Milk’s Previous Publication Milk.xyz, as well as another brief internship at Flaunt Magazine – writing, researching, and interviewing artists for their digital publication. Once I graduated at UCLA, I applied to work at Milk full time. By this point Milk felt like home; the studio introduced me to the industry as well as the people that provided opportunities beyond Milks walls. A lot of my beginning was made possible because of my time at Milk. I learned a lot, quickly – and I am extremely grateful for it.
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?
My biggest struggle was my impatience with learning the tools of my craft. I spent years taking photos without understanding how a camera really works. Because of this, I limited my ability to fully explore the medium, and in turn my ability to explore my range as an artist.
I now find that even If I am not the one operating a camera, lets say I am Directing a shoot, having knowledge of how the tools work helps me effectively and efficiently communicate how to execute my vision, as well as the possibility of said vision.
A hard truth I’ve learned is this: Faking it until you make it will create a false foundation. A false foundation is bound to fall. I am building my foundation on solid knowledge, because I plan to do this for a long time.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My Commercial/Commissioned work is mostly in the Fashion Editorial world, but I have spent a large majority of my life so far defining myself based on my commercial interests, So I’m going to take this moment to consider the work Ive been making separate from that. The work I have shared here is a result of spending a lot of time exploring printing techniques in the darkroom at Color&Black&White in downtown.
Lately, I like to take Images of People and Nature and abstract them in the darkroom, ripping or crumpling the paper, distorting the exposure, altering the chemical process’. On the surface it’s just genuine curiosity, “what would happen if I did this”, but there is also a deeper attempt to make the final image one that is not easily readable, one that makes you question your perspective in a very literal way. A nod to the process of considering varying perspectives that I developed at a young age, growing up in a city defined by its diversity. I’m still working it out, but I think the logic of a Rorschach Test applies to the psychology behind the abstractions I make – The Rorschach Test is a psychological test where a persons perceptions of arbitrary inkblots reveal the roots of their subjectivity and the foundations which inform them.
Any big plans?
Personally I plan to spend more time developing my personal Photo and Cinema work and sharpening my skills. I would also like to continue printing and showing work in person, in Los Angeles and beyond.
I know that the more I develop my personal practice as an Artist, the more I will be given the Trust, Resource, and Luxury of building very intentional work both commercially and personally. I belong to a beautiful community of artists, in Los Angeles and beyond, that are all expanding their work too. Im excited to see us all grow.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://larryarm.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larryarm/
Image Credits
Larry Arm
Cameras from Milk DGTL – Los Angeles
Film Processed at Gold 1 Hour Photo – Los Angeles
Printed at Color&Black&White – Los Angeles
