Today we’d like to introduce you to Zac Monday.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Zac. So, let’s start at the beginning, and we can move on from there.
I came to LA right out of the bottle factory which is Graduate School in San Diego for the visual arts where I made some connections to curators in LA, so I was pumped when I was asked to participate in a big museum show pretty much out of the gate.
A couple of years of shows and driving out to Culver City every weekend to see art, and trying to make things happen over here on the east side really takes a lot of energy and drive that felt lost keeping up with. I think I was pretty burnt out from three years of intense art making honestly, and never had before lived a life outside of the education system (re: on my own), so I settled into some work teaching and restaurants and anything else you can do to hustle in LA.
This brought out my other interests, like reading tarot cards and writing songs. I got pretty great at both and started releasing music and booking readings around town.
After struggling into my 30s and calming down about that, I now have a pretty fantastic schedule of; waking up, deciding to crochet or pick up a guitar, hanging out with friends, apply to residencies and other life-changing opportunities. As of right now in 2019, I’m enjoying the life of a working artist.
Has it been a smooth road?
Oh well gosh, its mostly struggles when you live outside of any provided structure of livelihood. I mean, artists are also dealing with self-worth agonies which can lead to self-destruction which can lead to all the great things that make a piece of art so juicy and transformative. Being in Los Angeles in my 20s also brought up experiences of social identity, and of proving oneself.
It’s not an easy city for community simply because of how sprawling it is, so finding the right groups of people and the right pace for myself was a struggle, I’m an east coaster by birth, so my life jive is pumping assertive jaguar movement and punctuality into daily life, LA is a large sea turtle on land staring out into the ocean comparatively.
Just finding out the rhythm of people in this city, of art world life and experience was a huge struggle that I have not quite mastered. I will say that after having my car totaled six years in, I am an advocate for public transportation and bike riding in the city, even if most drivers aren’t cautious around you. I don’t think LA gets a lot of praise for this, and its one of the parts of the city I most enjoy. And the parks.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Maverick Mystic – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I am an artist, so I mainly make wears and things I can sell to friends and social media strangers for support. I am also Luddite and not hip with my generation’s interest in hashtagging and trading oneself. So I keep a low profile. Word of mouth is a great way to build up a base I have found, and to continue doing what I’m doing generally yields secure results.
The main business for me now is mysticism, a practice I could probably only do in California where people are open to energy work. I am a tarot card reader, and most people refer me to others, to guide them in conversation with the cards. I’m different from other tarot readers because I’m pragmatic, straightforward, and a problem solver.
I don’t just stop when things get dark, I like to find the light in life through counseling- which is mostly listening to how you’re feeling. From there I can recommend solutions; crystals, candle magic, mantras, daily routine changes, all doable helpful, simple things you can do to tweak your life.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I do enjoy the public transit life for the most part. As everyone knows this city has the best gosh darn nature in every direction. The views on a clear day are breathtaking from the top of any hill. So I like taking trips up the mountain or desert of the ocean when I can. The food is pretty experimental in this town, which can be fun- and the trucks are consistent and cheap, so I can recommend our cuisine.
I try and have people up to Highland Park from Silverlake all the time, but they hardly budge. Travel to other villages within LA seems taxing for most people, so community is hard. The way our success systems work here, getting into the crowd with any sort of power to give you a show or even some money is determination plus luck. I have found that loving what you do and doing it for the people you love provides enough support until a bigger break comes if that is your drive.
This is more of an umbrella dislike for our career culture, but our city produces so much of it- it allows you to see some very different routes people take to get where they want to go. All this information is useful for perspective on how one is doing on their own path.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @zeemonday
- Facebook: Zac Monday
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
