Episode 1.5
Interview with J. Leigh García, by Peter Hay on May 1st, 2020
Click here to listen to Episode 1.5
Reference list at bottom of page
Chaos, 11″x15″, monotype screenprint, by Nina Battaglia 
Echo, 11″x15″, monotype screenprint, by Nina Battaglia 
Soft, 4″x6″, monotype screenprint (water based markers with transparent base), by Bivens 
Top Surgery, 2″x6″, monotype screenprint (watercolor, coffee, water inks, transparent base), by Bivens
(Above) Images of artwork made by García’s Printmaking class in their own homes during the COVID19 Pandemic. Additionally, one student made a video documenting their “kitchen lithography” process. The video was made by Lou McAtee. CLICK HERE TO WATCH
Peter (P): Thank you for joining us today, J. Leigh Garcia.
Leigh Garcia (L): Hi, Peter. Thanks for having me.
P: Thank you and would you like to introduce yourself a little bit?
L: Sure! Yeah my name is J. Leigh Garcia. I’m originally from Dallas, TX but I now live in Kent, OH where I teach at Kent State University.
P: Excellent! And that’s actually how I know you, is from one of your colleagues there, Marie Bukowski, who recommended I reach out to you.
L: Yeah, how do you know Marie?
P: Well, Marie actually was my graduate advisor when I was going to school at Louisiana Tech. She was the head of the program there and she also taught me printmaking, which I was then very lucky to get to teach printmaking at Louisiana Tech. So she’s, yeah, she’s kind of an amazing woman. Not kind of. She is an amazing woman.
L:: She is.
P: And I learned a tremendous amount from her.
L: That’s awesome.
P: And so you said you’re from Texas.
L: I am, yeah. From Dallas, TX.
P: And how long have you been out of Texas?
L: It’s been about four (4) or five (5) years now. And it was a really hard, you know, kind of decision for me to make because I’m a seventh (7th) generation Texan on my mom’s side. So my family’s been there for over 100 years and since before the Civil War even, I think. So yeah I moved to Madison, WI, first for three years for grad school. And then from there got a job in Pensacola, FL, teaching at Pensacola State College and was lucky enough to get a job at Kent State University this past August. So that’s what brought me here.
P: Oh cool! Congratulations! That’s an awesome step up.
L: Thank you! Yeah I love it here.
P: So, I’m actually, I grew up in Oklahoma.
L: Oh, wow!
P: So, um, I feel like with our Red River Rivalry I should, like, maybe not be interviewing you. I’m kidding. But it is really cool to talk with somebody who is, I guess, an emerging professional and artist…
L: Yeah you could say that.
P: … Would you describe yourself that way or ?
L: Yeah, I think that’s accurate.
P: OK. And so how did you get into the arts?
L: Oh man. Yeah, I mean I, like most artists, have always loved art and always loved drawing since I was little. Um but it really, I think, I guess my art career sort of took off when I was accepted to Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts which is a, it’s like an arts magnet school in Dallas, TX. So you have to apply when I was like thirteen I guess. So you apply and it’s a public school so once you get in, all of your classes throughout high school half are art and half are, you know, academic. Or, you know, math, science, etc. So that was like a really huge turning point for me and it was a really, it’s like a really early age to decide that you want to be an artist but..
P: Sure.
L: Yeah, it’s kind of crazy. But to be just, like, immersed in that atmosphere and have, you know, all my friends were either visual artists or musicians or actors or um dancers, was just like a huge turning point for me. And then because of going to Booker T. I was introduced to printmaking at like fifteen. Which is really amazing because I think most people don’t know what printmaking is even like in their adult lives. And I had an amazing art, printmaking high school art teacher, Ms. (Eva) Kutscheid, who was really a huge mentor for me. So from there I just fell in love with printmaking and I was like this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. So I went to undergrad straight to grad school and then straight into a teaching position.
P: Wow. That’s amazing. And, I mean, it’s really amazing that you had mentors that helped you through that process from such a young age…
L: Oh my god yeah
P: ..And without that, who knows what you’d be doing now I guess.
L: Totally. Yeah I think about that all the time and Ms. Kutscheid unfortunately passed away, like four years ago from cancer. But I think about her all the time and I have some of her prints up in my house to kind of reflect on.
P: Well she lives on through her legacy for sure.
L: Yeah
P: And um, so what do you make now?
L: Um, I still make prints primarily, so I’m really into screen printing but I also do a lot of relief and a little bit of intaglio and lithography. And I’m really pushing my work to become more sculptural and installation-based. But I also do some collaborative work. I have a collaborative art partner, Maria Amalia Wood, who I work with and we do some kind of papermaking projects.
P: Oh interesting. And what kind of paper do you make? I’m just digging in more.
L: Yeah! Well, we’ve done quite a few different processes but our latest project uses amate papermaking which is a traditional Mexican handmade, hand papermaking process. So we buy like strips of mulberry or kozo fiber and then um, you beat it with a rock , that’s the traditional way to make it. So what we do is with the public is we take hateful comments on YouTube that are about undocumented immigrants, which is really easy to find…
P: I was going to say, a wealth…
L: Oh my gosh yeah. That’s like the worst part, that’s the part of the project I dislike the most is like looking for those comments. But once we find the comments we print them on handmade abaca paper and then we kind of make those into small strips of paper and then with the public we ask them to like find a comment that sort of speaks to them or really gets them upset or riled up and then together we all beat the comments into the amate paper.
P: Oh wow, OK.
L: Yeah…
P: So there’s like a destruction of this, sort of.
L: Exactly. Yeah, and it’s really cathartic to just like to beat these horrible comments with rocks. Um, and we’ve found that it really like, you know, there’s a lot of interesting conversations that happen and then we planned to make a big installation with these and maybe project positive interviews or like music or we’re not quite sure yet but we’re hoping something more positive onto them.
P: Oh good, OK. So this is like a project that’s still very much in the works.
L: Yeah, it is. We’re just in the first stages of kind of making paper with the public. And then the installation form is something that we’ll have to navigate in the future but um Maria lives in Wisconsin and I like in Ohio so we’re trying to navigate that sort of long-distance collaborative process.
P: And now that we’re all sort of physically distancing is that, are you two still finding ways to connect?
L: Um, a little bit. I think for most, um, you know, for so many of us right now, things are sort of on hold. There’s like a lot of exhibitions and opportunities that are being cancelled or postponed. Um but yeah we’ve, I guess I could say it’s on pause for now.
P: OK, OK. Well I wish you guys the best in that and where that leads to. Um…
L: Thank you.
P: I’m really curious to see, I’m doing the Common Fields Conference right now online so a lot of the discussions we’ve been part of, kind of based upon collaborative projects. And, you know, so much of collaborative work is embracing the unknown, you know? Not like exactly knowing what’s going to come out at the end and, you know…Are you really enjoying the process of making together, the creative process with others?
L: Oh yeah. I love, probably some of the most joy that I’ve found in my art career is in collaborative projects. Yeah, I love working with others, I love working with like the public or um, yeah, just other artists or even people who are not artists, I think that, that’s just one of the best things about art is that that it connects, can connect you with people that you maybe wouldn’t’ve connected with otherwise.
P: For sure. For sure. And is that something when you were younger, going to school in Dallas, did you have other collaborative projects that were sort of examples set for you? Or is this something that is more recent in your practice?
L: Yeah, I would say my initial reaction to say that it’s something that’s new to my practice just because it’s only been the past, maybe three years that I’ve really seriously dove into some of these collaborative efforts. But um, yeah reflecting now, thinking back to high school, there were some collaborative projects that Ms. Kutscheid, my teacher, sort of orchestrated for us and she would kind of plan it out and then, you know, allow us to engage with each other to make bigger installation works. So yeah, thinking back, yeah, she definitely did have some influence on that.
P: Excellent. You know, I think it’s funny as a printmaker, the whole process of printmaking is very technically driven and seems very individual. You have this image of an individual in their printmaking studio with all this equipment around them and chemicals and they’re making this, you know, repetitive edition of prints but in reality, printmaking, you depend so much upon the help of others. And this, you know, this studio, because nobody can have an individual studio, I mean, not nobody, some people definitely do, of course. But, it requires so much equipment and so many materials that in general it’s a community. So do you feel like that, that is one of the things that makes you open up a bit more to community work or do you think, um, there’s other influences?
L: Yeah, I think that’s a huge part of it. You’re so right. Just um, printmaking and I’m sure there’s other art forms, like ceramics, where you have to share, you know, a studio space and some of that equipment. I definitely can’t afford to buy my own giant Takach Press or something like that. So um yeah, I love, probably one of the things that drove, you know, kind of, drew me to printmaking was that collaborative, sort of, atmosphere. And I think because of that, you just find that naturally printmakers are sort of outgoing, maybe a little bit more extroverted than other forms of artists. Um, and that just kind of lends itself to collaborative projects, I think.
P: Yeah, I think so. I think so too. There’s also, like a bonding that happens in the printmaking studio, and I don’t know if that’s because of all the chemicals gets everyone a little bit like… No, I’m kidding. Things have come a long way in printmaking. It’s not quite as toxic as it was twenty 20 years ago.
L: That’s right. Yeah, they have and I’m really interested in some of those more environmental friendly, less toxic processes too.
P: Excellent. And, so kind of going back to what you make, you’re a printmaker primarily, is that what you teach?
L: Yeah, I’m an assistant professor of print media and photography. So that’s what our department is called, print media as we try to integrate a little bit more of like, you know, innovative technology like 3D printing and those sort of things. But um yeah, right now I teach printmaking and I have a class next semester I’m really excited about which is kind of focused on collaboration. It’s called public print, so it’s encouraging students in collaboration and to make work that exists outside, you know, in the public realm. And you know, certainly with our, you know, pandemic and situation right now, the course is going to look a little differently for us next semester. But I’m super excited about it.
P: Excellent. Do you, like, how are things going right now? The semester is just coming to an end.
L: Mhm.
P: But how did this semester pan out for you considering everything that’s happened in the past two months?
L: Oh my gosh it’s been so strange. Um, I think as an educator I have a lot of sort of like ethical and moral dilemmas happening right now. Like, you know, how much should I expect out of my students and, you know, certainly you want them to get the same level of education that they signed up for but so much has changed. They didn’t sign up for these online courses so that’s sort of happening in the back of my mind. And of course my artistic practices changed a lot, being kicked out of my studio. Or I guess I should say kicked out. More, I should, you know, share that in a more positive light. It’s been a good thing that I’m not allowed to go on campus and work in my studio for health reasons. But, um, yeah everything is just fluctuating and just trying to go with the flow.
P: OK. And how do you feel like the students have been reacting fairly well, like things are rolling pretty smoothly, or do you feel like there’s been a lot of challenges?
L: Yeah, they have been really, like, surprised me in such a great way. They’ve been amazing and just so resilient to this whole thing. A lot of them have their projects due this week so I got images from the prints they made at home and I was so impressed with some of the things they’ve done. So they’re really like being resourceful right now which is awesome. And, you know, it’s really forcing everybody to be creative, I think.
P: Excellent. Um, I mean, that’s a huge challenge for a printmaker. I’ve been thinking about this a lot. My, like, my heart really goes out to all my friends in higher education who are trying to teach without studios. It’s one thing to teach, you know, all classes are difficult to teach without being in person. And I feel like that time with the professor is incredibly important. And, but you know, learning history is very different than learning how to printmake without a printmaking studio. It’s, uh, there’s a ton of inherent challenges in that. So, going back to what you were talking about with what you make and your collaborative process, I just want to ask you a little bit about why do you make what you make?
L: Yeah! Oh my gosh. That’s such a hard question. Um, yeah, so my work has sort of, I guess, I’ve made it kind of three (3) phases. I guess, I could organize it. So, in my younger years, sort of like in undergraduate years, I was making a lot of work about the cattle industry. Um, so, my mom’s side of my family, I’m a seventh generation Texan, and those are all, you know, of European descent so.
P: Sure.
L: Yeah, so I was making work about the cattle industry and sort of my family heritage and being this seventh generation Texan from a long line of cattle farmers. And, at the same time, I was becoming vegetarian so it was a little bit more geared towards environmental issues, animal rights issues, but it was still sort of exploring that side of my heritage. And then I moved to Wisconsin and, um, you know, I’m biracial, I’m half white and half Latina. And then, which is pretty normal in Texas, you see a lot of that. But moving to Wisconsin, it’s a lot, you know, there’s not as many biracial, half Latina, half white, people there. So I felt a lot more, um, brown, I guess you could say. And so from there, I started to investigate my dad’s side, my Mexican-American heritage. And that was also around the time of the Trump administration took into effect and, you know, Trump was elected so a lot of my work became much more political and a lot more about the racialization of Mexican-Americans and of Latinos in general in the United States. So then I started exploring my dad’s heritage, or my dad’s side. And now I kind of found this center balance so now my working, I’m starting a new kind of body of work that’s investigating my role more as like a biracial perspective. And I’m really relying a lot on the conversations I have with my sister. So my sister and I are really close and we’ve always felt like, you know, there’s just these inherent kind of cultural discussions that come up when you’re biracial. Always trying to figure out where you are within that spectrum. So that’s where my work is heading now.
P: I see. And being biracial, you had a lot of bicultural influence in your household. It looks like in your biography where, you know, you have one side of your family that’s from Texas, long-time Texans, and then you have one side that is, um, of direct immigration from Mexico.
L: Yeah
P: That’s a large, um, sort of duality in the household as well.
L: Yeah, it really is. And I’m really lucky that my parents I think did, like an amazing job of making sure my sister and I were exposed to both cultures. But um, yeah it’s really interesting. I think most biracial people would agree that there’s just this really strong, um, I don’t know, cultural, you know, struggle sometimes. And, you know, hanging out with my mom’s white side of the family and there’s some Trump supporters there that feel strongly against immigration. And then there’s my dad’s side. My grandparents were undocumented immigrants and it’s like how do you sort of navigate that?
P: Yeah, yeah. And do you find that challenging? Does that lead to really tough discussions in your household or?
L: Yeah. I think the Trump election really brought a lot of this to the forefront. Um, and I’m just really lucky and happy to have my sister because she and I feel that, you know, nobody understands our experience. It’s like even other biracial individuals, we might connect on some levels, like yeah, like you’re bicultural and you kind of go through some similar things. But to come from that specific experience, I’m just so thankful that I have a sibling to kind of relate to and share with all that.
P: Sure. And it’s an interesting place, I would think, from you also as a standpoint on this because you maybe have a more unique ability to discuss this in a more, um, kind of thoughtful and in-depth way as far as your broad experience with like all these different sides of this, um, conflict.
L: Yeah, I think that, um, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve sort of found a little bit of power in just having access to both cultures. So, you know, I can make work that’s about the racialization of Latin American people in the United States and, you know, white people will pay attention because I’m also half-white. So I can say, like you know, I can find places to make my work accessible to them. And vice versa.
P: Interesting. Yeah, no, that’s really interesting. Um, so how do you, as you, as you’re going through your process and, you know, we all are, have all these ideas as artists and creatives going through our heads, and of course there’s been this whole flood of, of new ideas I think that have, like you’re talking about, this whole sort of cultural shift that’s happening. And how do you determine what is important for you to focus on and what is important for you to make and pursue?
L: Yeah, that’s a hard question too. Um, I think one thing that I’m just really inspired by is like social injustices, so when I see things in the news or even just like in my personal experiences that I feel like are injust, specifically related to like racial issues, that’s like what really gets me fired up and makes me feel like I want to say something and like be a part of this conversation. So yeah, certainly some of the big events that we’ve had, you know, the Trump administration with Zero Tolerance Policy, putting children in cages at the border, that was something that just really, um, oh my gosh, affected me emotionally and on so many different levels. So things like that, I guess, just really get me riled up and make me want to make artwork about it. Um, so I’m really interested in like our contemporary politics and things that are going on but also sort of relating that back to the history because I think so many of the things we are seeing in today’s culture and climate have, are sort of like, it’s eerie how similar they are from things that we’ve experienced in the past. And it’s like how can we learn from the past and kind of connect those two.
P: And how do you, I mean, how do you feel that art is, um, is a good way to help people understand these issues? Or how do you feel like art is a good influential method to, um, maybe broaden people’s perspectives on these issues?
L: Yeah, that’s a something that I’ve struggled with quite a bit because there have been a lot of times in my life that I’m like maybe I should’ve gone into law or like, you know, become like an activist or something to have a little bit more of a direct influence on these issues. But, um, I think, you know the older I get, the more I realize that the strengths, or I guess the tools that I have to offer to the world come through art. Um, I love art, it’s just a passion of mine. It’s something that even if, you know, the world was perfect, racial inequality didn’t exist, I would still be making art just because I love it.
P: Sure, Sure.
L: So those are the tools that I have so that’s why I use them.
P: I think that’s an extremely valid reason, you know. Um, you’re telling a story, you know? And I think it’s interesting that as I was looking at your work online, as so much of us are looking at artwork now online, um, I did see this transition in your work from being more environmentally based, you know, plastic or cattle or, and then it shifted. And then I saw some pieces that were like bird watchers looking over the wall while there’s people jumping the wall behind them, you know? And then I just saw work that was like about serious immigration issues and I was like, wow that’s a really, like, that, that shift in your work really sort of is a mirror in a lot of ways to the world and what’s happening in the world. Um, and I just, I found that really, really powerful…
L: Thank you.
P: and interesting.
L: Yeah, I’ve, you know there’s times that things feel really, um, scary. So you want to make, you want to make work that’s really serious and confronts these issues head-on. And then there are times that you kind of just need a break, like for your mental health. I just sometimes, I need a little bit of humor in my work.
P: Yeah, yeah. And I, I, you know, I think that there is a strong tie between human rights issues and environmental issues. Um, and I, I didn’t know if that was maybe some portion of the work you were making. Or, it sounds like it was more of a timeline of, sort of, your interests as society was fluctuating.
L: Yeah, I think it’s a little bit of both. So, yeah, I’ve always been really interested in environmental issues and I think that stems a lot from the fact that I am a seventh generation Texan and I’m just so strongly, like connected to this land in an ancestral way. Um, I’m also, I think about a third indigenous Mexican so just thinking about that connection to the land has really made me like interested in that. Um, but yeah, I think that environmental issues are definitely tied to social issues and specifically the work that I make about undocumented immigration between Mexico and the U.S. Um, the way that our borders are used as sort of like a natural weapon almost by the United States against undocumented immigrants is something that I see, sort of like that connection.
P: Yeah, yeah for sure. I also saw your, you had a piece that was about monarch butterflies. And it was really hard to not think about the recent murders of the men in Michuacan, state of Michuacan, um, who are protectors of that region of the forest where the monarchs go and, you know,that’s, you know, those, those correlations between humans defending their indigenous place in the world versus, you know, this commercial, capitalized bug..
L: Right.
P: ..is like, I don’t know. I find that, that was a really poignant piece to me.
L: Thank you. Yeah and like you mentioned, capitalism is like, that really affects so many things. Capitalism affects how we treat our environment, and also how we treat immigrants. So yeah, there’s definitely a connection there.
P: Yeah.
L: Yeah.
P: Dollar signs, yeah? Um, well, I’m curious, um, to know, because it seems like you don’t have a lot of trouble with this. But because we’re in this kind of crazy time and there’s a lot of people who might be stuck in, you know, different states of mind because they’re stuck in their house, or they’re distanced from their studio. But I’m curious to know if you have any tricks for breaking through creativity.
L: Oh yeah. Um, it’s something funny that in high school we used to call it being, um, creatively constipated. Such a high school thing to say. But it’s, it’s still sticks with me so yeah. I think I definitely go through these phases. Most artist probably do but when I get kind of stuck, um, I find that the biggest inspiration to me is just to look at other artists and to look at, you know, what other people are making. So, usually for me that means going to art museums, but in this time of social distancing and when we’re kind of all in self-quarantine, um, even looking on Instagram or looking at artists’ websites that you like. I would definitely encourage that.
P: Sure. Excellent. And there’s a lot of that out there. I mean I feel like that’s becoming more and more by the day and, um, you’re, what you said about creative barriers reminded me of something my dad used to always say which was, “too many people have constipation of the brain and diarrhea of the mouth.” And I feel like that’s like, definitely something we need to pay attention to, you know, maybe we need to internalize and think a bit more, you know, yeah. So I think, I think that’s also really poignant about what’s happening in our world today as far as, you know, administration and what’s happening with the response to the virus and all, you know..
L: Oh my gosh
P: That’s a whole different podcast probably. But, um, so, speaking of looking at artists that, artists’ websites of artist that you like, who are some of your greatest artists or aesthetic influences?
L: Oh man. Um, I like to say my favorite artist is Cildo Miereles. He’s just an amazing artist from Brazil.
P: OK
L: Favorite printmaker is probably Alison Saar. She’s an amazing woodcut artist primarily. And then I love all of the like, you know, Mexican, um, like Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Siquieros, Orozco, um, Goya, Posadas, Arturo Garcia Bustos is one of my favorite printmakers. Um, yeah the list goes on and on.
P: Yeah. This was such a rich place. Mexico is such a rich place of printmaking and of graphic work. I mean, we’ve been talking a lot about Francisco Toledo recently. And his work and how he activated community in, you know, it’s, um, yeah. It’s, yeah, that just led us on this whole sort of, of history of all of his influences that are printmakers and graphic artists. There’s, yeah, if anybody listening has not delved into the world of printmaking and graphic arts in Mexico it’s deep and beautiful and intense.
L: Oh my gosh yes.
P: Yeah. There’s a lot so if you’re looking for something to do in a pandemic, there’s lots to explore there for sure. And, you know, because the topics that you discuss in your work are tough. You know, there difficult topics. I’m sure that you deal with all sorts of criticism, constructive or negative, and I’m curious to know, as an artist, how you sort of sort through that and cope with it and make something positive out of it, if that’s possible.
L: Yeah, that’s such a good, um, point to make and something I try to instill in my students too is to let them know, like, you do kind of have to have thick skin as an artist. You have to, you know, not build these walls around you but sort of build these, um, I don’t know. Surround yourself by, by gosh what am I trying to say? You just have to be ready, I guess, to talk about your work and to be able to express it verbally and in written words so that when these criticisms come, um, you know what you’re trying to say. So, yeah, I think I’m lucky because I came from, um, both my parents are musicians so growing up I kind of was used to that environment of criticism isn’t bad. Criticism is what helps us grow and starts those conversations. So luckily from a young age I kind of built that thick skin. But there’s definitely times in my, you know, more recent career that criticism can get you down and it can be hard. But I think to just remind yourself that art is subjective so, you know, some people might not take anything from the work at all but it could speak to somebody else too.
P: Sure, sure. And I’m, this is a little bit, like, slightly different path, but I’m curious with the work that you’re making and being a young latinx person in academia, do you feel like there’s anything that you cope with along those lines and your new…
L: Yeah, I think about that a lot. I think, um, I’m super privileged to be where I am today. A lot of that privilege I recognize is because I’m half-white. And I was raised in white culture and I really, both of my parents are educated. So I hold a lot of privilege there. Um, so really the only sort of issues I’ve come across are microaggressions. Just small things. And with my work, in terms of my work, um, I’ve, you know, something I’m really trying to push myself in more and more recent years is to get my work outside of the kind of white wall gallery academic setting. Because I’ve realized over the years that that’s just preaching to the choir. So I’m kind of like making this work about my liberal views and just kind of presenting that to other liberal artists. So that’s something I hope to do in the future, really get my work out to the communities and, you know, get it to Trump supporters I guess. Like people that don’t think this way. That’s who I want to, I want my art to be shown to.
P: Yeah. Yeah, no I think that’s incredibly important. I mean, how else, one thing art can really do is it speaks to us on a very non-verbal level. Um, but also that emotional side of it, and creating discussions is so important. And yeah, if you can get two people who have slightly or very different political views together and get them to talk and do something collaboratively, there’s so much that can happen in that, that transaction.
L: Definitely.
P: Um, and I’m curious to know, because we are in a pandemic, um, and we talked about this a little bit earlier but how has the pandemic impacted your art practice, um, or has it affected your art making interests?
L: Yeah, um, well, I guess, you know, it’s definitely impacted just my access, like my access I guess, to the studio space. So I have a studio that’s on campus at Kent State University and we are, um, not allowed on campus until July 4th at the very minimum. So I know until July 4th I won’t be working in my studio but I had basically like a couple hours of notice to get some stuff out of my studio so I grabbed a bunch of wood and carving tools and things. And I have a small press in my house, it’s a little etching press. It’s about 12 inches wide. So I am working on some small linocuts and relief prints even though they’re, um, you know, limited by size. But right now, it’s just a lot of reflection and I’m sort of making work, um, and planning for work for the future. My sister has come to live with my husband and I during this pandemic. She lives in North Carolina and she’s in school so she came to live with us. And having her, yeah, having her in the house has been amazing because, um, we’re constantly talking about, you know, our biracial identity development. And so that, just having conversations with her is extremely inspirational to me. But at the same time, you know, it’s like people are dying and, um, people are losing their jobs and there’re all sorts of things happening in the world that, it sort of makes this body of work that I’m making about my biracial experience. It doesn’t seem important anymore. It doesn’t seem like something that, um, that is worth talking about when people are dying. So, in a strange way, it’s a little bit, um, uninspiring this time right now.
P: Yeah, yeah. And, I mean, I think there’s, there are some beautiful sort of silver linings that are coming out of this. But yeah, there’s, there’s definitely no way to really address anything without that looming cloud of those who are going through really terrible times. Um, and, I’m, like with that that sort of sounds like sort answers one of my next questions. But, um, so how do you, how do you sort of push forward with that? I mean it sort of sounds like you have some really strong inspiration because your sister’s there and you can talk about these things and you have a lot of sort of momentum with your art practice. Um, do you feel like that is sort of helping with…?
L: Yeah, I think it is. Um, I’m definitely an extrovert so having my sister here and my husband here has been helping me just with my mental health. And just sort of processing some of this stuff. Um, at the same time I think this pandemic is shedding light on a lot of the inequalities my work talks about. Um, a lot of our, you know, our essential employees are people of color or people that are disenfranchised. Um, so those sort of inequalities and, are, um, yeah I could see that influencing my work in the future for sure.
P: Yeah. And I just want to throw out there that like, yeah, if you’re not feeling creatively motivated during a pandemic it’s probably, you know, not something to be self-conscious of. I’m sure there’s a lot of people who aren’t feeling creatively motivated right now and, um, I know there’s a lot of artists out there that are shifting their creative energies to doing things that are like making masks or, you know, creating networks to facilitate, um, materials getting to the right places. So, you know, I think whatever it is that you can do, nobody’s, sort of a judgement-free time.
L: Absolutely. And that’s something that my sister reminds me a lot. She’s actually a counselor. Um, so she’s a very…
P: Oh! I wish I were like…
L: I know, right?
P: with a counselor.
L: Like who better to be stuck in a house with. So she’s constantly reminding me that it’s ok to take time and just process this. This is a huge deal. And um, something that I have to remind myself of is like as an artist, I think, when your art sort of, when you reach that point where your art is not a hobby anymore, and it’s actually your career, there’s always this like push to be productive and to push out work and make work. Um, but sometimes you just need time to reflect. So I’m trying to remind myself that it’s ok to process and to just spend time to think right now.
P: Yeah. Yeah, no I think that’s really important. What, what does a normal day look like for you right now?
L: Normal day for me. Um, I wake up pretty late. Make some breakfast. Um, check my email and communicate with my students online for a while. Do some grading. And then about the afternoon, I like to take my dog for a walk everyday just to kind of get out of the house. And then the rest of the day I try to spend on my artwork. So right now that means making a lot of like sketches and kind of preparing for new prints. And like I said, I’ve been making a few small linocuts which are not like what I would typically make. They’re sort of small in scale but, um, I’m thinking of those as sort of, like, you know, plans for larger works. And then, I watch a lot of TV at night.
P: Sounds like you’re, you’re…
L: Yeah, it’s going pretty well I’d say.
P: Yeah, you have, I mean, you have some structure. Are you teaching summer classes or how are summer classes working?
L: Um, I wasn’t teaching summer classes. I was teaching a blossom art intensive program which is something we do every year at Kent State. Um, where we have visiting artist and it’s like a two-week art intensive for students and also just the general public, whoever wants to sign up. So, I had really exciting plans for this summer. Um, we had Delita Martin and Julia Lucey who were going to be coming in but unfortunately we had to cancel that. But we’re trying to use the word postpone. Hopefully we’ll have them next summer. So yeah, for me, my summer’s just looking like, um, being inside, working on art, and trying to stay updated with, with all the news.
P: Excellent. Um, I think that’s the best plan for now. And do you have, has the university given any clues or do you have any ideas about the plans for fall?
L: We have been trying to prepare for hybrid or online transition just in case that happens. But, um, we haven’t had any news yet. They’re saying, I think, July, by July we should know what the plans are for the fall. So yeah. But it’s interesting, yeah. Even if it is, um, in person, go back to in person in the fall, it’s definitely going to look a lot different than what we’re used to.
P: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I’m curious, I have a friend who is an administrator for a community college and they’ve been talking about putting together all of these sort of contingency plans around, you know, when we do reconvene, like, what are going to be the new practices we put into place that are best, sort of the new best practices we can put into place to keep people as safe as possible. Um, because it’s, it hasn’t ended and we don’t see that…
L: Yeah and like you mentioned with printmaking, we’re all in this small studio, um, really tight quarters working on the same equipment with the same tools. So it’s going to be a lot of, a lot of hand sanitizer, a lot of disinfectants, and probably masks.
P: Sure. Yeah, I don’t think the virus can survive lithotine
L: Yeah or …
P: It might be a time to go back to those like old toxic methods you know.
L: Good point.
P: Definitely safe. What do, what do you think the art community..
L: Oh man..
P: ..needs during at this time.
L: I guess my first thought is just financial support. I know a lot of artists that, um, you know, they work other jobs to support their artistic practice and a lot of those jobs are like bartending or waiters and they’re losing those jobs right now. So I think artists are really going to need, um, economical support right now. Which, you know, if you’re someone who wants to know how to help artists, that just means buying art. So getting on their websites and buying from artists directly.
P: Sure.
L: Um, but on another level, I’d say artist maybe just need, um, kind of like patience right now. Yeah, just sometimes, you know, there are a lot of like gallery exhibitions that are getting postponed and things like that. But, um, yeah just patience to give us some time to think and process and kind of get back into our routines.
P: Yeah, no I think that’s really, that’s really good advice. Because, you know, hang in there. There is going to be light at the end of the tunnel at some point. You know, one of the studies that just came out, I think it was Americans for the Arts facilitated it, I could be wrong on that. But the study really stated that the vast majority of the jobs that have been sort of lost or, um, furloughed during this time period are art institutions. You know, a large number of people who work at art institutions are those, those artists that work in your community. And that’s how they supported themselves. So, it’s the whole industry is paused. Um, so I’m curious, like kind of segueing from that, and it’s a funny question, um because we’re in the pandemic. But it also adds a whole other layer of possibilities but maybe if it’s something from before the pandemic, that’s fine as well. But what is maybe the most interesting new artform or art movement or concept that you see developing in the art world?
L: Yeah. Oh man. So, during the pandemic, my husband is like obsessed with, um, the Oculus Quest virtual reality system. It’s like, um, a headset that you wear and there’s two like, gosh I’m not a gamer so I don’t know the word for it, like the hand controls I guess.
P: Oh, OK.
L: Yeah, so my husband’s cousin brought one over a couple months ago and we were just amazed by it. I mean, it’s like completely immersive and just an incredible experience. Um, and I’ve seen a couple of art pieces done with virtual reality, just like one or two of them, in the past. But, um, during the pandemic my husband and I decided to invest in one so we now have our own VR set.
P: Oh cool
L: Yeah. And I, it’s amazing what you can find on there. You can just, you can go on YouTube and you can search like virtual reality things. But there are a lot artists that are using virtual reality to make these immersive experiences. Um, so, it’s awesome that I have access to them now especially during the pandemic. I can sit there for hours just going through these like immersive installation sort of things. I don’t think it’s anything I would use in my own work in the future, I’m not, I was never raised with video games. I’m like not really into that kind of stuff. Coding and stuff. But I can definitely see VR taking off in the future.
P: Yeah, you can definitely thank your past self for buying that right before the pandemic.
L: I know, right?
P: Um, and I, yeah I’m the same. I don’t have a huge video game background. I don’t really play them and I didn’t play them when I was a kid. Um, but there is such a huge number of people in the world that that is a really great way to communicate with them. And I, thinking about the themes you cover in your artwork, I can see a humongous, like, just, path of exploration that can happen with how do communicate these ideas to people in this VR platform and, um. It’s really, yeah, it’s really, a whole new world, kind of. I mean, literally and, um, figuratively.
L: Yeah.
P: Um, excellent. So, because we are in a pandemic, I have a few questions, um, that are related to, you know we all are trying to find new ways to entertain ourselves. Um, and, so, what is your favorite album?
L: My favorite album I would say is The Gipsy King’s, um, I think it was like the greatest hits. I think it was called like Volare. Just because that was something my dad would play all the time when we were little. So it’s really nostalgic for me and really upbeat so it’s also something that I like to listen to when I make artwork.
P: Excellent. I love that because that can send people down a whole path of discovery as well. That’s really cool.
L: Yeah totally
P: But, um, what is your favorite movie?
L: Um, my favorite movie is probably Babe. Have you seen that one?
P: Oh yeah of course.
L: So cute. Such a good, like good feeling movie. But um I will say, I recently saw Moonlight on Netflix, it’s on Netflix right now, and Moonlight was, oh my gosh, amazing. Just, like, I was crying for like twenty minutes afterwards. But, uh, it’s a beautiful movie.
P: Oh, my wife would love that. I’ll have to check that out. And Babe of course. That’s like yeah so many great…
L: It’s a classic.
P: “That’ll do, pig.” You know?
L: That’ll do.
P: What about a favorite book? What would be a good recommendation during this time? Well, not during this time. What is your favorite book?
L:My favorite book is Lonesome Dove. Um, yeah. It’s such a, it’s a really long book. But, I like it because the character development is so strong. You really, like, feel like you know these characters. Um, and it’s also interesting for me because it’s set in the, I think it’s set in Texas maybe.
P: Yeah.
L: But, yeah, so like reflecting, there’s a lot of like racial issues there, um, that I can, like to reflect on. Sort of interesting.
P: Yeah, it’s a whole dissection of the like past and the, it’s funny because those kinds of stories are not just a reflection of the historical past but they’re also a reflection of the time of when the book was written, you know?
L: Right, exactly.
P: Because you’re glorifying this certain time and yeah. It’s a whole dissection of society that’s, yeah, we need to break those down.
L: For sure.
P: Um, and so it’s weird time, of course. And, do you have any idea of when your next art show or function will be?
L: Yes. So I have a solo show, um, scheduled for September. It’s actually been pushed, it was suppose to be I think August and it’s been pushed to September now at the University of North Georgia.
P: Oh OK.
L: So, yeah. So that’s a solo exhibition I’m getting prepared for. And there’ll be like an artist talk and workshop too. Um, and then I’ve got a few smaller shows but that’s, that’s the one that I’m really kind of working towards right now.
P: OK. Can you give us any insight into what you think the show’s going to be composed of?
L: Um, yeah. I think it’s going to be most of the works that I’ve made for the past year and a half. So, um, a lot of work about undocumented immigration of Mexican, um, immigrants into Texas specifically. And there will be a few new pieces. I’ve got an installation piece that I’ve got in the works which is, um, sort of like giant woodcuts that create a border wall fence.
P: OK. Interesting. And are you going to, well I guess, well, maybe you don’t know yet. But could you tell me a little bit more about the border wall fence?
L: Yeah. So that’s something that, um, is also a little bit on pause right now just because, you know, moving home. So I’m kind of carving on it but not sure how I’m going to have access to print it yet. But, basically I have these pieces of wood that are like six feet tall. Um, so I’m hoping to carve onto those with images of like the whole span of Texas land. So there’s images there from indigenous Mexicans of course Texas used to be part of Mexico. Images from like the Mexican-American War. Treaty of Guadalupe, Hildalgo, the Bracero program, um, leading all the way up to contemporary immigration. So I use water jugs a lot in my work as symbols of contemporary immigration. Um, because so many immigrants crossing the border carry water jugs with them. And then end up leaving them behind. So there will be some water jug imagery in there. Um, it’ll be all carved in these six-foot tall, you know, pieces of wood. And then those will be printed onto paper which will be shaped into, um, border wall fence posts I guess you could call them. The kind of like metal bars that compose the border wall fences.
P: OK.
L: So, um, those will be, you know, prints. So they will be multiples. It’ll be the same image on each bar.
P: Uh-huh.
L: And I’m hoping to behind that on the wall do some sort of like foliage. Um, maybe a painting on the wall or, if I have time and access to the studio, make some intaglio prints that are of, like, flora and fauna that could be, um, kind of collaged.
P: Interesting. It’s sounds, I mean, so more of like a printmaking installation than what we would think of as normal printmaking framed on a wall.
L: Mhm. Yeah, exactly. That’s sort of where I’m trying to push my work right now. Because I love sculpture. I love working sculpturally. Um, and I always am trying to think like why do I go to all this trouble to make like a stencil or to make a linocut matrix to make like one print and it’s going to be framed in a gallery. You know? Why not like make multiples that I can use to collage and create bigger pieces. So, that’s what, how I’m trying to approach my work right now.
P: Interesting. That, I like that it’s also breaking that frame of, you know, the way artwork was, it was thought it should be presented. And…
L: Mhm.
P: You know there’s a whole sort of branch of research right now and writing exploring that, like the imperial and colonial history of, um, artforms like lithography and printmaking and, you know, how those things were incredibly impactful in the colonization of different places and, um, I, yeah it’s really interesting to hear you’re using printmaking to discuss these topics because I feel like it’s, it sort of flips that on it’s head a bit. And that’s really interesting to me.
L: Yeah. Thank you.
P: Um, so I, I have to interject a little bit like a little recommendation, if you’re ever, have you been to Mexico City before?
L: I’ve been to the airport.
P: OK
L: But that doesn’t count.
P: Well, you should come sometime.
L: Oh, I’d love to.
P: And you should check out… But there’s a little museum, um, that’s beautiful and it’s in Coyoacan. And it’s called, um, Museo de Intervenciones. And it’s a museum that has the history of the change of land between the U.S. and Mexico essentially.
L: Oh wow.
P: And, um, the Battle of Churubusco happened there. And that was one of the battles where the U.S. came through and was coming basically to take over Mexico City because their disputes over the border. Um, but that is, that is just an incredibly interesting museum. And to see the things, I mean, you’re seeing it from the Mexican standpoint, which is, you know, um, it’s, it’s just, it kind of reframes as like I’m an American and I grew up in the United States. That history is what I learned. I grew up in Oklahoma so then I grew up more of like in the Texas idea of the history than I did in the Mexican idea of the history for sure. If you’re ever in Mexico City, you should put Intervenciones on your list of things to do.
L: Yes. Oh my gosh such an amazing recommendation. Because, like what I’m trying to do with my research right now. Like you said, growing up in Oklahoma, or for me Texas, it’s like, it’s Texas history about the Alamo and it’s this very one-sided perspectives. And I’m actively trying to do research that comes from the Mexican perspective so, oh my gosh, I’ll definitely put that at the top of my list now.
P: Yeah. Well, whenever things open back up and you can make that trip do it for sure.
L: Yeah.
P: Um, so kind of, you know, I don’t want to take took much of your time here. Um, but I really appreciate your time. This has been really fun. Um, I want to know what, if you could like give a little piece of advice to a young artist that’s just getting started out, um, maybe something that you know now that you wish you knew when you were younger artist, what would that little piece of advice be?
J: Yeah. I think, um, when I was younger I would think of art as a very solitary act of the artist and the artistic genius in their studio alone. But, like I said before, some of the most joy that I’ve found in my artistic career is in working with others. So, whether that means collaborating on art projects with others or if that just means reaching out to other artists and saying, “hey I love your work”, you know? Just, I guess, don’t be afraid to reach out to others. And, um, to use your art to make connections.
P: Oh, I think that’s really beautiful advice and, you know, um, artists, I think, there’s that perception of the solitary artist working in their studio. I think that’s something that needs to be broken a little bit. Because art is a community, it’s a community act in so many ways.
L: Yeah, I would agree.
P: Yeah. Well, thank you so much for your time. Is there anything else you would like to add?
L: Um, no. I just hope that you’re doing safe, or, doing well, staying safe and healthy right now. And, um, thanks for having me, Peter.
P: Yeah, thank you and the same to all three of you, I guess, staying there, um, quarantined. Hope you guys all stay safe and healthy and sane. Um, and thank you so much for your time.
L: Thank you.
References:
- Kent State University: https://www.kent.edu/art
- Marie Bukowski: http://mariebukowski.com/
- Louisiana Tech: http://design.latech.edu/
- Pensacola State College: https://visualarts.pensacolastate.edu/
- Red River Rivalry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_River_Showdown
- Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts: https://www.dallasisd.org/bookert
- screen printing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screen_printing
- Relief: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relief_printing
- Intagio: https://www.moma.org/collection/terms/52
- Lithography: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/l/lithography
- Maria Amalia Wood: https://www.mariaamalia.com/
- Papermaking: https://now.tufts.edu/articles/art-papermaking
- Amate: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amate
- mulberry or kozo fiber: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_tissue
- abaca paper: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abac%C3%A1
- Common Fields Conference: https://www.commonfield.org/
- Takach Press: https://www.takachpress.com/
- Zero Tolerance Policy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_administration_family_separation_policy
- recent murders of the men in Michoacan, state of Michoacan: https://www.npr.org/2020/02/03/802359415/sadness-and-worry-after-2-men-connected-to-butterfly-sanctuary-are-found-dead
- Cildo Miereles: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/cildo-meireles-6633
- Alison Saar: https://tamarind.unm.edu/artist/alison-saar/
- Frida Kahlo: https://www.fridakahlo.org/
- Diego Rivera: https://www.diegorivera.org/
- Siquieros: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Alfaro_Siqueiros
- Orozco: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Clemente_Orozco
- Goya: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Goya
- Posadas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Guadalupe_Posada
- Arturo Garcia Bustos: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arturo_Garc%C3%ADa_Bustos
- Francisco Toledo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Toledo
- Linocuts: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linocut
- Blossom Art Intensive Program: https://www.kent.edu/kentblossomart
- Delita Martin: https://blackboxpressstudio.com/
- Julia Lucey: http://julialucey.com/
- Lithotine: https://www.takachpress.com/access/lithotine.htm
- Americans for the Arts: https://www.americansforthearts.org/
- Oculus Quest virtual reality system: https://www.oculus.com/quest/
- VR: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_reality
- The Gipsy King’s: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gipsy_Kings
- Volare: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmbx4_TQbkA
- Babe: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babe_(film)
- Moonlight: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonlight_(2016_film)
- Lonesome Dove: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lonesome_Dove
- University of North Georgia: https://ung.edu/visual-arts/index.php
- Mexican-American War: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican%E2%80%93American_War
- Treaty of Guadalupe, Hildalgo: https://www.history.com/topics/mexican-american-war/treaty-of-guadalupe-hidalgo
- Bracero program: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bracero_program
- Coyoacan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coyoac%C3%A1n
- Museo de Intervenciones: https://www.inah.gob.mx/red-de-museos/311-museo-nacional-de-las-intervenciones
- Battle of Churubusco: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Churubusco