Today we’d like to introduce you to Zach Fajardo.
Zach, please share your story with us.
I am an artist and art model who at one time was homeless living at one point in a friend’s old RV, then a car, and at one point even getting rained on in an old tent eating nothing but oatmeal and yogurt. Fan worked at a trading company warehouse in China and eventually managed to make her way to the U.S. as the only member of her family to immigrate here from China. I worked multiple part time jobs and eventually made my way off of the streets. We met at Pasadena City College in a piano class while we were both in the process of working towards a better standard of living.
We both found ourselves in the same position, having trouble finding a stable place to live and decided to lodge together. We moved around through Alhambra before settling in Eagle Rock where Fan eventually found work at Bank of America and I worked my way into the arts community as an art model, freelance artist, and a one on one art teacher. I wanted to find a way to make art something that can be enjoyed by everyone (instead of being reserved just for people within the arts sub-culture). I realized that could be done by introducing people to the arts in fun social environments.
Fan and I worked together to establish The Paint Scientists. Our mission is to spread the artistic drive to everyone.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has definitely been a constant learning process. First there was finding a way to gather funding, then there was learning how to build a website, then there was learning how to incorporate payment processors, learning about the legal stuff, learning how to use different software to create fliers, learning how to edit videos, learning how to spread the word. It’s been a nonstop learning process; but the journey is something we’re grateful for. Even if life takes us in a new direction, there has been so much to learn from this that we’ll never lose. The most important lesson we’ve learned is how to work through the ‘muscle failure’ so to speak, and push past the point where most people would give up. The second most important lesson has been to learn how to learn.
Sometimes you just don’t have the money to pay the experts, and you just have to become the expert. These are lessons I know I can apply anywhere.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about The Paint Scientists – what should we know?
There are many paint and sip groups out there. We’re not the only ones. We’re obviously not the first ones. But we’re not trying to compete, because we’re not trying to do what the others are doing. Every other group that offers a similar service to ours is out to create a quick fun night that will end with the night. While we are creating a way for people to come have fun and paint with their friends, we also seek to inspire people to explore the creative aspects that most people forget about within themselves. We want to be a gateway between art and the non-artist and help other people to feel the same inspiration and curiosity that makes an artist who she/he is.
We host public events at bars, restaurants, cafes, where anyone (artist and non-artist alike) can come and join us while we sip wine/cocktails and go step by step through the painting of the day.
We also host private parties. The private parties are tons of fun because we’re able to offer types of events we can’t necessarily host in public venues. At private parties we offer everything from plain air painting (painting outside; at parks, private spaces, beaches), to painting/drawing live models, to sculpting (pumpkin sculpting during the Halloween/Thanksgiving season), to face/body painting, and much more!
We believe that the human being by nature is an artist and a scientist (and that there is little difference between the two). Artist and scientists both seek to explore and learn, then take what they’ve learn and apply it to something new; whether that be something immediately practical, or something with a deeper intrinsic value. All humans do this. It’s what separates us from all of the other creatures and makes us special. We build shelters, then we decorate them. We create clothing, and even if we don’t we use clothing we’ve bought from someone else to express ourselves in unique ways. We wear our hair or makeup in ways to express on the outside how we see ourselves on the inside. This is all art and we engage in it every day. Our goal is to remind every person who comes to us that they are as much of an artist as each of us is. Most of all, we want them to have a blast while we show them.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Our friends and family have been a huge help. I personally remember many teachers in middle school and high school who told me that they saw me as someone who would be able to apply my creativity in ways that would really move me forward and inspire others. The great thing is that several of my biggest influences from those days have seen what I was doing (through social media) and have been cheering me on and helping me spread the word about The Paint Scientists. They’re still as supportive now as they were then and I’m so grateful for it.
Pricing:
- Normal price $45
- With the promocode ‘zachsentme’ it’ll drop down to $35 with a drink on the house!
Contact Info:
- Website: thepaintscientists.com
- Phone: 323 356 3211
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepaintscientists/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePaintScientists
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/PaintScientists
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-paint-scientists-los-angeles
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCk1iZNYdJSn23E38csYDEA
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.
