Today we’d like to introduce you to Lalo.
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?
My creative journey began on the East side of Cleveland, Ohio. I was never the most artistically inclined kid among my peers, but that didn’t stop me from trying to keep up. Over the years, I would find any downtime to draw, whether in school, at home in notebooks, on canvas, or even on my bedroom walls. Once high school came around, I started to piece together that visual art was my calling. I made sure to take as many studio-related classes as possible, including AP Studio Art and graphic design courses. Outside of art class, I was never a great student since all I was ever doing was drawing and not paying attention.
After graduating, I attended Lake Forest College in the Studio Art and Art History major programs. This was a pivotal point as it gave me access to great professors and mentors within a variety of creative mediums. I was also able to take courses such as fashion illustration and mixed media practices at Columbia College in the heart of Chicago. This allowed me to not only explore more modes of expression but also immerse myself in a city with a growing artistic presence. When not in class, I would attend numerous art shows and events, distributing hand-painted postcards. Slowly over time, I developed relationships in the city that brought opportunities to collaborate with people from all walks of creativity and grew my confidence as an artist. A couple of weeks before graduation, I was approached by a Miami-based gallery to show in a satellite exhibition as part of the larger Art Basel Miami in 2019. I took this as a sign and, after receiving my diploma, booked a one-way flight to Florida. For a year and a half, I immersed myself in the chaotic street art and graffiti scene of Wynwood.
I had always seen Los Angeles as a north star for creative success. I packed a suitcase and moved in with one of my best friends and mentors, Lefty Out There. We had developed a relationship back when I was still in college, and we exhibited together at Art Basel in 2019. He had recommended that I come to visit to find new inspiration. After a couple of weeks of being here, it was clear that I needed to find a way to stay. I soon joined his artist collective “OTG” and have executed several creative projects together since. Downtown has made a huge impact on my creative growth as well as the greater city of Los Angeles. When surrounded by several like-minded artists, it’s easy to see how the art landscape in this city can become infectious.
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?
This journey has definitely not been easy; it pushed the limits of what I thought I was capable of. Every city before LA had me working a variety of jobs to survive and fund my creativity. I almost always had a restaurant job in high school and college and even worked in an Italian restaurant when I first moved to Miami. Los Angeles was the first city where I attempted to fully fund my artistic practice solely through creation. This proved to be difficult, but through persistence, I have been able to do so, marking another pivotal moment in my career.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My current practice can be aptly described as cartoon surrealism. This takes shape in illustrations, paintings, sculptures, fashion, and films that I create. Drawing influences from my life and other art, I transform them into my own worlds that viewers can explore. The characters I depict are known as “Biomorph creatures.” They come from another world and collide with life here on Earth. From art historical references to current cultural events, I inject a new form of life and perspective into what we have perceived as our human experience. So far, I have been fortunate to be part of group exhibitions, produce set and clothing design for the Los Angeles-based brand “C’est Bon” in Paris Fashion Week SS 22’, and have had a successful solo show titled “The Invasion” last year. Moving forward, my practice will continue to grow within the disciplines I currently exercise but will also evolve to include new modes of creation. My true intention has always been to create my own world, within which lie infinite possibilities for expression.
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?
When the pandemic hit, I was still in Wynwood, having just quit my restaurant job. It was a time of uncertainty that reassured me that I had to work tirelessly. Everyone in the world was uncertain about what it all meant and how to weather the storm. One of the most significant lessons I learned during that time was getting outside of my comfort zone to disseminate my work in different ways. I started a podcast series called “Artist Talk,” where creatives would go on Instagram Live and chat with me about their practice during Covid and otherwise. This helped connect me with different creators and learn how others were dealing with the tough situation we found ourselves in. The common thread was that anyone who wanted to make it out to the other side of this global tragedy had to refuse to give up. For me, art has always been a need for survival and clarity in my life. As long as you don’t give up, you can never truly fail.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laloartworld/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laloartworld
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lalo-artworld-2a9343172
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/laloartworld
Image Credits
Jake Cloobeck
