Friday, March 30, 2012

Memories: A Poem

Memories

by Armando Ortiz


Our memories

are fading photographs

hidden between pages

inside forgotten albums


Where fading peach sunsets

border the Polaroids,

with surface scratches

and faint glimmers of light.


Memories,

are stained-glass windows,

that filter dawn’s light

inside neglected chapels.


The walls are

bordered by alleys,

where street kids fight, and

bleed tears that

give life to rose gardens.


The past

are forgotten morning dreams, where

summers were spent inside pools,

and winters opening gifts.


We return to the neglected sanctuary,

where recollected experiences lay shattered and

are swept away by an invisible hand, that

makes a mosaic of memories

that’s as old as yesterday.


Thursday, March 22, 2012

Growing up in Los Angeles (Part Eight): El Piojito

Part 8: El Piojito

By Armando Ortiz

My dad once told me a story. It was about how my mom got swindled out of fifty dollars. It took place a half a block down the street from where I stood that day. In front of the Botanica del Pueblo, on the corner of 7th and Alvarado, is where a man and woman desperately approached my mom and sold her a gold nugget. They told her they needed the money in order to fly back to their hometown. It turned out that the stone had been painted over with gold paint. The tricksters probably bought food and laughed at how another poor and naïve country bumpkin had been fooled once again.

El Piojito or in other words The Tiny Lice was near that intersection and directly across the street from MacArthur Park. Its logo was a cartoon of a smiling kid who had two antennae coming out of the top of its head. The store wasn’t the size of a louse, but it was a nice way of referring to a store that was small. One could buy all kinds of things inside. El Piojito was a downsized version of a third rate mall and we went there every other weekend to buy stuff like pans, slippers, shirts, detergent, deodorants and maybe a couple pairs of pants. One day, I wandered out of the store and decided to wait on my mom by the sidewalk. Out in the open things moved and the hum of cars could be heard.

I saw pedestrian traffic pass bye, and observed people float on towards unknown places. You could also see the street vendors that peddled their mangos, cacahuates Japoneses, and pepinos with sal and limon. It all seemed like water coming out of a faucet that pours onto the sink. The swish of the movements was like artificial white noise to my ears. I stood outside the entrance, looking across the street where three giant fountains were spewing water up into the air. The mist of the water was picked up by the wind and it slowly floated down settling on the one natural lake where ducks still waded. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a group of people all huddled together.

My curiosity got the best of me and I walked over to see what was happening. A game of hide the ball was taking place. The man in charge of the game was using baby food caps, colored in blue, and a tiny foam ball that looked like it had been used for so long that the yellow had turned brown. He kept repeating in a loud inquiring voice, “Adonde esta la bolita, adonde esta la bolita!?” He was dexterous like a magician and shot words rapidly. His eyes goggled every which way resembling those stuffed bunny rabbits. Occasionally he’d stretch his neck and turn to left and right as if to see what was happening on opposite corners of the street. The foam ball hovered on top of the black velvet cloth that the man had placed over his makeshift platform. He moved the caps swiftly, but I could see where the ball was going. The tiny inanimate object was directly across from my eyes. The sidewalk everyone stepped on was speckled with black spots of bubble gum contrasting with the grey cement. For some reason the sky that day was a deep blue, unlike any other sky blue I’d ever seen blanketing the city.

       

The man’s skin was a red mahogany. He wore a brown shirt that had white stripes running horizontally across his upper body. His hair was uncut and large curls were forming. He’d been out in the sun for longer than a day. I couldn’t quite tell if anyone was winning or losing money. I wasn’t playing nor could play because of my age and because frankly speaking kids weren’t the target for these hustlers. It was other people they were trying to get and who knows if they were successful at what they were doing. I found it fascinating though, and twice was able to guess where the ball was. Of course with those types of games odds were drastically stacked against the person betting their money. Looking back now I imagine that the man running the game most likely had some watchers and some people standing guard in case something funny happened.

I don’t remember what happened after my mom stepped out of the store. We probably walked to the car, got into the little Datsun and rode back home. I do remember telling my mom that I’d guess the location of the ball twice. She just smiled and swayed her head left to right in disapproval. “Did you win anything?” she inquired. “No,” was my reply. Her arm extended outwards and with her finger pointed up to the sky and reminisced out loud on that Tuesday afternoon that she left her town. 

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Andy Zamora: Artists in Los Angeles


Andy Zamora: Artists of Los Angeles
by Armando Ortiz
The purpose of this interview, and all future interviews, is to showcase and briefly talk to artists that reside in Los Angeles, and how their work was influenced by the city and inspired them to continue on with their interest despite the bad economy. I will focus on their early development as artists to see where they get their inspiration, and who’s motivated them. Most of the people I will interview are regular folk that make a living through their creativity. The artists interviewed are some of the few people that don’t have an eight hour job or have to follow a strict schedule, though that doesn’t mean that life are any easier. They are working artists, local community artists that are trying to perfect their craft, who continue to get inspired by life, and in the process inspire others with their own work. Some of these artists are connected to the community while others prefer to do their work and live their lives like anyone else, without the spotlight, while establishing themselves are reputable and quality artist.
The first artist to be interviewed is Andy Zamora, a tattooer that works at Inkfiendart Tattoo, which is located in Alhambra, CA. I met Andy a few years back through a mutual friend. It was at our friend’s pad that we briefly talked about Jimi Hendrix, art and his future tattoo career. While drinking our beers we heard a mixture of Hendrix, blues and other classic rock jams. In the years since then he’s become a tattooer and continues to develop as an artist. One feature that I’ve always seen from his is his style. What style is that? Well, it’s a blend of psychedelic, death metal and graffiti-esque paintings, along with imagery of skulls and devils. In the last five years he’s honed his craft as a tattooer steadily becoming a well-rounded black and grey artist. I have always liked his psychedelic take on old classic rock paintings and posters, along with his personal interpretation of street life in Los Angeles.
This interview took place over a span of several days through the internet, since we both live in different parts of the city, and we both have different schedules. None the less, you will find that Andy opens up his life and tells us how he evolved from a kid that liked drawing on paper to an artist that is making a living through tattooing and painting.

Me- What’s your first memory of doing art?
What kind of influence has music played in your life, but most importantly in your art?

Andy- My first memory of doing (art was) when I was 3 years old. My dad used to work at a paper company, so he used to bring boxes of white paper, (and) I would sit down for hours drawing with crayon, and my mom would praise everyone. So I kept doing it. As for music, it’s my obsession! Its been my obsession since I was 8 years old, (ever since) when License to Ill came out. I listen to every genre and as long as its heavy on the bass and drums. Hip-hop, Classic Rock, Reggae, Jazz, Corridos, etc., etc…In my art, music has definitively rubbed off, mainly 60’s Psychedelic and Death Metal. I think imagery wise thought two genres (of music) have very appealing imagery to me.  As far as when I’m creating art, playing music helps me release a certain flow. For drawing, Hip-hop or reggae sets a mellow mood, and for painting, Hendrix, Coltrane, and Miles kick of the flow. If I’m feeling lazy, some Cannibal Corpse gets me off my ass!

Me- What were some of your first art projects?
I know you’ve done album covers for some bands, what were these band and when did you start?

Andy- (I) started in high school doing paintings in the auditorium and for background scenery in the (school) plays. Then flyers for punk shows. Soulless was one of the bands I did a logo for and (then a) Grind band called Endless Demise, formerly knows as Terror and Nausea. I did cover art, and will be doing more, for the L.A. Grindcore scene.

Me- How did you end up painting in school and background sceneries for plays?

Andy- My Art teacher recommended me to the Drama director.

Me- How did public school affect your artistic development?

Andy- My Art teacher was very encouraging. He pushed me to try new mediums. I actually looked forward to going to school. One period I was painting murals in the auditorium and another period I was in a small room messing around with airbrush, clay, paint and what not. I think I still would have done art if hadn’t had those classes, but having those classes my art was displayed publicly and it put me in touch with the public, which artist have to do to start networking.

Me- Is that how you met the people whom you went on to do album covers?
Did you ever think that you’d be making a living as an artist?
What mediums are you using these days to express your art?
You mentioned painting mural, are there any muralist that you admired then and now?

Andy- Yeah I worked as a muralist for the Hollywood Beautification Team in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Back then my biggest influences, mural wise, were Paul Botello and George Yepes, and of course graffiti artists like Retna, Mear and FX Crew. Now it’s all about Mac and Retna.

Me- Is that how you met the people whom you went on to do album covers?
Did you ever think that you’d be making a living as an artist?
What mediums are you using these days to express your art?
Were you born in Los Angeles? How does your art reflect life in Los Angeles?
How has the city influenced your art? Do you feel you’ve influenced it?

Andy- One of my good friends <was> the drummer for Soulless, so that’s how I met them. With Endless Demise, I met Victor, the vocalist, online. He liked my tattoo work and was really interested in getting work done. It turns out we knew a lot of the same people and we hit it off, getting high and talking music. I was into the Grind scene in the 90’s, so it was cool being (a) part of it and doing artwork, and yeah since high school I knew that that’s all I wanted to do. I was shooting for comic book artist though, but ended up in a different route. I like using all mediums. I paint with acrylics, draw with pencils, ink and charcoal. One of the funnest medims is mixed media; color pencil, acrylic, watercolor and ink. I was born in Northern California, in San Jose, but my parents moved here, to L.A., when I was 6, so I was raised here in L.A. That’s all I know, L.A. and it definitively has had an influence in my art. It all happened when I had to do four months in the County Jail. The gang imagery stayed with me forever. The gangster letter, the black and grey tattoos etc. etc. There’s no rougher and tougher city in this country than L.A., so when I draw something it has to look hard.
 
Me- Please explain what gives something a “hard look” in art.

Andy- Yeah. It has to look Gangsta or wicked! Even when I was a kid drawing comics I wanted my characters to look tough and crazy. Its art for the fellas I guess. Kinda like hardcore hip hop. It’s mainly for the fellas but I’m pretty sure there’s some girls out there that are down with that. Then I add a little trippy. The psychedelic trips I had when I was young stayed with me forever.

Me- Is there anything that you’d like to say in relation to art, your art work, and what you do these days? Thanks for telling me about your artistic life. I’ll post the interview in a few days.

Andy- The economy is part of the reason I had to switch shops. Tattoos are luxuries, so people are cutting back on those type of things.  I'm working less on projects that were custom and (doing) more walk-in type of stuff. That made me have less enthusiasm and my inspiration was getting lost. It’s like a rollercoaster though in the tattoo scene. It’s bound to go up again.
Feel free to grab any pictures you want from my Facebook folders. Personally I like the Chalino painting, the drawing of a demon that’s holding a skull with fire in the background and the archangel Gabriel tattoo, but grab as many as you want.

Me- You have any photos of when you were in high school and the work you did back then?
Andy- At my parent’s house I should have some things.

Me- Lemme ask you this one last question. Is art important in people’s lives? If it is please explain why art is important.




Andy- To artists its very important. It pays our bills and keeps us out of the Looney Tunes bin….LOL….for non-artists its important because everything is art; clothes, music, architecture. It would be a bland world without art. 


(All art work was done by Andy Zamora, feel free to contact him via facebook)