Rising Stars: Meet Lupe Aguirre of Claremont

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lupe Aguirre.

Hi Lupe, 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 was raised in Mexico and moved to the United States as a teenager. When I entered high school, I didn’t speak English, which made that time difficult and isolating. I often struggled to express myself and felt like I existed between two cultures, but I didn’t fully belong to either.

When I enrolled in community college, I was still unsure of what path to take, so I decided to start taking art classes. That’s when I discovered ceramics, and it completely changed my life. Clay gave me a voice when I didn’t have words. It became a way to communicate my emotions, memories, and parts of my identity that I couldn’t yet explain.

A turning point in my journey was meeting a mentor who saw potential in me and helped me see it in myself. Their belief in me encouraged me to pursue ceramics seriously and to envision a future in art.

I earned my Associate of Arts in Studio Arts from Orange Coast College. Then I transferred to California State University, Fullerton, where I received my Bachelor of Fine Arts with a dual concentration in Ceramics and Sculpture. I am currently an MFA candidate at Claremont Graduate University, where I was honored to enter as a Dean’s Fellow. There, I continue to develop my practice full-time, using clay to explore themes of transformation, resilience, and cultural memory.

What began as a personal refuge has become my lifelong passion, a way to connect, heal, and tell stories that transcend language.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road hasn’t been smooth; It’s been full of challenges but also growth. Financially, it’s been challenging. At one point, I was working three jobs while being a full-time student to stay afloat and continue creating. As a ceramicist, access to studio space and kilns can be complicated and expensive, especially outside of academic institutions. It’s a constant balancing act between time, money, and energy.
There’s also the emotional and mental side, fighting against the stigma that being an artist is only sustainable if you come from money or privilege. That mindset can be discouraging, especially when you’re working so hard to keep going. And, of course, there are the creative blocks, the exhaustion, the struggle to stay disciplined and keep making work even when inspiration feels far away.
But I’ve learned that being an artist requires deep resilience. It’s not just about creating when you feel inspired. It’s about showing up consistently, even when it’s hard. Meditation, research, and reconnecting with my purpose have helped me move through those difficult moments. I’ve come to understand that struggle is part of the process, but so is transformation. And that, in many ways, is what my work is all about.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a ceramic and sculpture artist primarily working with clay, mixed media, and found materials. My work explores themes of identity, memory, transformation, and the complexities of the human body, particularly in relation to culture, gender, and emotional survival. I often utilize figurative forms, distorted bodies, and layered textures to convey psychological states, creating pieces that are both vulnerable and confrontational.

I am particularly drawn to hybrid forms where the human merges with the surreal or symbolic, intentionally blurring the lines between beauty and discomfort. Whether it’s a bust with striking gold details, a raw and spiked body form, or a character-like figure emerging from clay and color, each piece becomes a personal myth or emotional artifact.

What sets my work apart is the balance it strikes between emotional weight and a sense of playfulness and material experimentation. I embrace the strange or awkward aspects of my creations. After all, those in-between spaces are where much of the truth resides.

I take great pride in the evolution of my work. Coming from a background where being an artist wasn’t always seen as a viable path, I am grateful to be fully immersed in my practice, pushing myself both creatively and conceptually. Additionally, I am particularly proud of how my sculptures communicate, even when words fall short; they hold stories that I may not always be able to express aloud.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I’m always open to collaboration and connection, whether it’s through exhibitions, community-based projects, workshops, or interdisciplinary work that brings together different voices and mediums. I love working with other artists, curators, educators, and creatives who are interested in dialogue around identity, material, and storytelling.
People can support my practice by sharing my work, visiting exhibitions, purchasing pieces, or even just engaging in conversation. I also welcome opportunities to teach or lead workshops, especially with communities that don’t always have access to ceramic spaces or art education.
If you’re interested in working together or supporting in any way, you can reach out through social media. I’m always happy to connect

Contact Info:

• Instagram: gaguirre96