What is the overlap for you when it comes to art and activism, if at all?
I see art and activism as the same thing. The life of an artist, for me, requires the direct engagement in community. I observe the world with concern for the future and express my anxiety in my paintings. Turning the lens on myself, I continually strive to do less harm in the world by changing my behavior and try to expose others to reality which they avoid through television and repetitive lifestyle.

To continually renew my view of the world is very important for me. For example, I ride my bicycle a lot. This changes your perspective: you are not in the closed, protected, walled off confine of a car, nor the safe pedestrian zones. To be a bicyclist in the city is both dangerous and exhilarating, a self-awareness of yourself and the concrete jungle like nothing else. It’s the best way to observe and participate in everyday life of San Francisco. The bicycle, believe it or not, has been my stepping stone to direct activism.
Even though I had been volunteering for many years, I was only able to clarify how exactly I could assist with change in this world happened when I was Introduced to Tiny Aka Lisa Gray-Garcia, daughter of Dee, the founder of POOR Magazine before her transition to the spirit journey, the founder who I did not have the pleasure of meeting when I started volunteering as a translator.

What does the occupy movement mean to you personally? How do you see artists fit into it?
As an Individual I have always fought for injustices in my work, to the point that I have had to quit in order to be at peace. For me occupy started in 2006 when I worked at the Cafe Gratitude in the Sunset. Matthew and Terces Engelhart were the owners of this establishment as they are now also the owners of Gracias Madre in the Mission. I witnessed racism, classism and cultural theft from the community on a daily basis. They forced non-english workers to attend an event called tantric breathing with the entire work staff. It was an all-day event where breathing heavily for hours causes the feeling of what they termed “re-birth.” They tried to get me to go but since I knew that there was no pay and my religion was practiced between me and my god I did not attend. Other Migrants that did not know their rights were told that if they did not attend they would lose their jobs, others were told that they would be paid. The day after, a poor 47 year woman from Peru told me how scared she was to be at the event and said “paresia que se les estaba saliendo el diablo” thats spanish for (It looked liked the Devil was coming out of them) she had to flee before the event was over, but they Insisted that she stayed. I had told her she didn’t have to go but she was pressured into it. This was my last straw, after that, all the workers that attended this “sacred event” isolated me and made me feel unwelcome.

I think that before we express love or acceptance we need to fight for those who are unjustly taken advantage of. In 2010 POOR Magazine Hosted Gentrifuckation Tours “R” US where we stopped at 5 different hipster suites to Perform our chant of removal, you can see it on YOU TUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4KmtdS-mQ0&feature=plcp&context=C35d4dcfUDOEgsToPDskKHlgmbMTlMEGVSL56iROkp

Here is my excerpt that I wrote and read to all that were dinning at Gracias Madre that night:

“ You are taking our sacred symbol of The Virgin Mary, La Virgen de Guadalupe, the mother of compassion and forgiveness as a way to exploit our sacred beliefs. Do not use La Virgen De Guadalupe when you don’t believe in her, respect her or worship her, especially when you are serving a community that does not know her story, why she is so sacred and why she belongs to the People of Mexico. As a Xicana Mexican American Painter – artist, Illustrator I condemn the artist that accepted to paint a mural of an image he knows nothing about and worse, to use it to gentrify the Mission. It would be beautiful inside a church but to use for a business that discriminates, lies and is just trying to build an empire of transformation, confusion and greed is wrong.” I would also like to point out that all the Cafe Gratitudes including the recently opened Gracias Madre will be closing for good, due to lawsuits from two ex- employees.

Manifestations like these are the only weapon that I as an Artist have, but this was way before the Arab Spring and the Occupy Movements. You can Imagine the complete joy and inspiration that I get whenever I take part of the Occupy movement, I love talking to people, especially those that are awake to the power we each carry in this Police State. Our voices are our most powerful weapon. My voice comes out in the form of images, colors and visions. Even though I see the change that the Occupy movement has created, it is still in its infancy and today more than ever I feel a bit let down by the movement. As an artist that has experienced globalization, colonization and institution negligence I understand the importance of strategic terminology. Since the start of Occupy Oakland Indigenous Communities show up to support and have put forth the proposition to change the name to Decolonize Oakland Instead of using the oppressors military language.  Even though they voted and the proposition won 68% of the votes, census was not met because 90% of votes are required. This is a disappointment to me because clearly 68% is the majority. Even though some claim the Issue divides us, I know that overcoming this obstacle will make us stronger and more united. As an artist of the 99% I  will push for the proper terminology of this movement.

What is POOR magazine and what is your involvement?
POOR Magazine is a publication arts and education project that was started in 1996 by an indigenous, landless mother and daughter who struggled with extreme poverty, incarceration and criminalization in the US. POOR Magazine, the organization, is a poor people led/indigenous people led non-profit, grassroots, arts organization dedicated to providing revolutionary media access, arts, education and solutions for youth, adults and elders in poverty across Pachamama. My collaboration with POOR started in 2008 and has evolved in a way that I had never expected. POOR Magazine hosts press conferences, fundraisers, speak outs, education in the arts, literature, documentation, advocacy, radio, journalism, poetry and healing. Through my networking, organizing and teaching in this organization I have been able to work with the most amazing poets and youth that are eager to learn about art theory. I don’t just teach art, I also learn from the students, we do not believe in hierarchy, “Everyone is a teacher and everyone is a student” like my co-worker Ruyata Akio McGlothin always says.
At any given event I sketch out the paintings and get the community to add their own art and abilities. I love to teach and paint and it has become the focus of my work. At the same time I take pictures during every event I participate in and have no trouble finding my next painting. Recently POOR has launched two big projects. One is the publishing of our contribution to the Decolonize (Occupy) movements all around the country and the world. The Decolonizers Guide to A Humble Revolution a POOR Press Production was distributed to over 150 different occupy sites and it includes some of my art and teachings. Available now on a sliding scale at www.poormagazine.org. The second big project is the HOMEFULNESS Project: The Struggle, the Vision, the Poor Peoples-led Revolution! A Real Solution to Houselessness: a sweat equity, permanent co-housing, education, arts, micro-business and social change project for landless/houseless and formerly houseless families. I am excited and honored to be part of these great projects and witness real change for local marginalized communities in the bay area. Even though every day it is a struggle and a lot of volunteering is required, I know It is necessary for a better tomorrow.

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Damian Stamer Haymaker

His paintings take hold of you and are hidden with meaning, the viewer discovers new elements at every, subtle turn. This hide-and-seek effect stems from the painting process. He enjoys adding images and then painting over them, so that only fragments of the original object/identity remain. Damian seeks to create a similar effect of layered billboards when the old posters are peeling away, a way of documenting time. I found myself looking and looking again at his paintings and as someone I have known for a while now, I still have the same reaction when I look at his paintings as I did the first time I saw them and when a new work in unveiled, even if it is not “finished”, I am speechless and find myself looking at the work for hours, revisiting different components and trying to dissect the canvas that truly seems alive. Stamer is able to capture movement, dynamism, ocean, still life, and landscapes (most widely used in his most recent works) and has clearly been influenced by Gerhard Richter, Neo Rauch, among many other East German artists, specifically of the Leipzig School. Damian often deals with the subject of twins and doubles since he has a twin brother who he is extremely close to and lives with, though they are very alike in some ways, Damian is a painter and Dylan is an investment banker, so Damian thinks about their relationship and the science behind being a twin and it often finds its way into his work.

Damian Stamer South Lowell Dusk

His most current paintings deal with the juxtaposition of seemingly disparate elements and painting techniques. In attempts to marry pastoral landscape with both abstracted and non-objective forms, he constructs a new space, unique to the medium of painting. In addition to providing an opportunity for more realistic rendering, the landscapes push the depth of the painting, and therefore give the abstracted forms more space to inhabit.

Damian’s current process involves a great deal of trial and error, as he is letting the painting work itself out on the canvas. Compositional thumbnail sketches are used only in the most initial phases of the painting, afterward he tries to allow the uncontrollable drips and more freely painted marks to inform his next moves or aesthetic decisions. The end results are paintings that create almost dream-like worlds where dichotomous elements can live together and explore the painted spaces of their own creation.

However abstracted, there exists a visual world in which someone or something could live. Instead of a house on a flattened picture plane, the house rests in an environment. Even the stroke of color or geometric forms are applied in such a way as one can imagine moving around them. The abstraction is grounded by the physical laws of the natural world, and therefore lends itself to the possibility that someone has navigated these unexplained surroundings.

Damian Stamer Barnyard Brawl

After leaving the studio, Damian was headed to North Carolina and Europe for the next month in hopes of travel, inspiration, adventure and completing his next series.

– MARLY HAMMER

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August 9, 2010 by Tom Boyle

Welcome to my ongoing series celebrating the people I know that embody the Do It Yourself spirit, “My DIY Heroes”: Part 4: Carina Lomeli, artist and activist. And my first - though not last - DIY Heroine.

carinalomeli.com, Poor Magazine

I first met Carina Lomeli (pictured to the left in her self-portrait) one sunny afternoon as she toted her drawing pad and small easel across Hippie Hill in Golden Gate Park. She recounts countless bike rides around the San Francisco’s notorious hills with turpentine and 30 pounds of paint on her back. The young artist started her career as a child, inspired by drawings her father had done for her mother during their courtship.

“I laugh at how many times I have had to endure long walks with drawing pads bigger than myself.” She reflects on one particular sojourn, “I tried to cross through the path of fierce wind in between buildings that showed no mercy and tossed (my drawing pad) into the street.”

Lomeli utilizes many forms of media to create her art - pretty much any available to her! Paintings, pencil sketches (like the portrait to the right of my favorite Bond, Sean Connery), printing, mixed media, photography, sculpture (like the figure shown to the left) - she’s equally skilled in each.

While looking for a place that she could speak Spanish as a means to help her people, her friend Guillermo Gonzales introduced her to the POOR News Network, a non-profit, grass-roots organization which provides tools for media, healing, education, publishing and other services for the homeless, disabled, abused, immigrants and other underprivileged groups and individuals. She began volunteering in 2008 and currently her roles have expanded to include those of teacher, translator, artist, film chronicler, photographer, editor and administrator to help ensuring funding for POOR Magazine.

An avid bike rider and activist, she is naturally involved with Critical Mass, a group of bicyclers that meets the last Friday of every month to ride across San Francisco to bring attention to our need to decrease our carbon footprint. She has also been involved with the American Indian Movement, Immigrant Rights marches, and many other causes.

I attended the Tattoo and Art Show last year at Dermafilia Tattoo and Piercing Tribus Vivas in San Francisco’s Mission District. In addition to featuring Carina’s mixed media ode to the morning after a night of partying “Me Pase un Poco / A little too much” (shown at the top left corner of the picture of Lomeli shown on the left - the piece is featured below and at Dermafilia), and countless paintings, sculptures, crucifixes, and mixed media pieces, the building’s alley was filled with people dancing to a bilingual hip-hop slam. Carina met Wilson, the owner of Dermafilia, in a similarly random encounter as when I met her. “One day when walking around the Mission, I stumbled into his shop and ended up talking to him about having art sessions. He then called later (asking) to share my art in his Gallery Hallway. Two pieces are still up today.”

Carina’s work is evocative in both theme and imagery, focusing on causes, concerns and fears - joys, hopes, and elations.

Here she explains some of my favorites from her impressive collection…

The Bomb

Medium: Oil & India Ink.
47″ x 60″

This composition represents to me the fear of what technology could cause if used against Mother Earth.

At the same time it shows the grace and elegance of woman throughout time and space as she simply accepts her fate and chooses to spend her last moments enjoying the Beautiful view.

Not to confuse her actions with lack of concern it actually implies our current social environment where men still are in charge of what happens in our world.

Hope

Medium: Oil on Canvas
24″ x 18″

Hope is a scene from an Immigrant Rights march that took place just down the street from my art class in San Francisco. Instead of taking my lunch I joined the march. I captured what came to be one of my favorite paintings. “Hope” on her father’s broken shoulders fighting for his rights.

The Future

2010
Medium: Mixed Media
11″ x 14″

I had this image for a while. I drew it while thinking of all the death that happens everyday, and I realized that the worst way to die was being trapped. I fear those who need to control how I think, so much that I believe the future will be like this if I don’t try to do something about it. I also start to wonder why we let these people do such horrid things to those different and weak.

Three years later I grabbed the image to finish the piece by adding an experiment of color with acrylic, die, ink, color pencils, and markers on paper.

Me Pase un Poco /
A little too much

2009
Medium: Mixed Media
11″ x 14″

This was inspired by partying a little too hard some days. The hunched over figure is accompanied by her best friend, the Bunny, who could also represent a Guardian Angel, somebody watching her constantly even though she’s not being a good girl. A mixed media on paper, I enjoyed adding different layers of paint as I let it get wet then dry between glass, it created a rusted appreciation for the textured paper.

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Feed the Starving Artists
Get gallery quality at garage sale prices with CollegeArtOnline.com

File this one under idea #1001 that we wish we’d thought of. CollegeArtOnline.com is a way-cool Scottsdale-based company that bridges the gap between emerging artists and that empty space on your living room wall. Co-founded by Vincent de Sarthe, a NY transplant and son of a prominent art dealer, CAO offers young artists the chance to showcase their work to the world without having to fight for space at a traditional art gallery. Which is important, de Sarthe said in an interview with Phoenix Magazine, because “There are so many young artists but not enough galleries who want to show them.”

More important, the site allows art lovers the chance to acquire original and one-off pieces without paying the crazy markups at most high-end galleries. Take the piece above, entitled “Death of a Gummy Bear IV”, it’s one of dozens of paintings created by Texas State University student, Josh Bernstein. (Love the beard, glasses and especially the ceramic tobacco pipe, Josh). And with artwork starting at $20 and topping out at $2,000, you’ll never have to decorate your walls with cheesy Z Gallerie reprints ever again.

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Artworks can be found at: http:///www.collegeartonline.com/artists/jmgrune

Please also view Nicole Wrona’s curated exhibition for Justin Gruneberg at: http://www.collegeartonline.com/exhibitions/OverTheHills

The Dream

Describe your artistic process.

I try and keep it as simple as possible.  I’ll find something that I want to play around with and then sketch out some compositions either on paper or in Photoshop.  When I say “something”, I’m talking about an idea I’ve been thinking of, or something interesting that I stumbled across on the internet, in a book, in a movie, etc.  After I’ve identified a subject, I usually look around for a photograph or two that I can use as a foundation for the painting.

Before, I used to just go straight from the preliminary sketch to blocking in elements of the composition onto the canvas in paint.  Lately, since I’ve started to use areas of solid color, I’ve been sketching an outline onto the canvas in pencil.   I’ve also been working from black and white printouts of the photos.  My color printer broke and I was forced to go to black and white.  It’s actually kind of nice because I don’t get caught up in trying to get each and every color exact.

From there it’s all trial and error.  I might add a new figure into the scene, wipe out things that aren’t working, switch colors, anything to get the picture to a point where I’m satisfied with how it all comes together.

Invicta

What is your motivation as an artist?

I want to give people a beautiful picture.  And within that picture I want them to find something that they can get a feeling from, an emotional response.  If they can find that, no matter if they agree with the subject matter, then I feel like the picture is a success.

I want to take people on a journey with no specific destination in mind.   Maybe it’s a journey that is contained within a single canvas, or maybe it’s a journey that takes place over a series of canvases.   I want the viewer to feel like they’ve gained something from taking the time to look at a painting, that maybe it’s moved them, and their being, in a certain direction.

Fun Times in Our Modern Society

How does your work compare to art movements of the past?

“Right now I am a cubist; tomorrow I may be an expressionist. I let the canvas tell me what artistic movement it wants me to provide. Sometimes, I change from hour to hour and sometimes it can become very confusing.”  -Joel Solkoff.  That’s pretty much how I feel, each day and from piece to piece it changes.

How do you break away from tradition?

I like the tradition of eating breakfast and taking a shower. I’ve studied the movements and I know some art history (art school is good for that), but when I set out to make a work I don’t consciously make an effort to have it fall into a certain box. I may reference a certain period of art in my work, but I don’t want the whole piece to fit nicely into a specific category.  I usually try to forget what I’ve learned and do whatever I need to do to get the picture to where it feels right.

Earth

What inspires you to create?

Just living in the world for a day, walking, talking, listening, breathing, your senses come into contact with so many stimuli, and they all leave a mark on your consciousness.  Just grab ahold of one of those, look a little deeper, and go wild.

Friends, music, books, tea, Debussy, Radiohead, tennis, the sun, hatha yoga, animals, the woods, movies, Buddhism, Christ…..

Is there a particular genre of art you identify with or look to for inspiration?

I focus a lot on contemporary painting.  Every now and then I come across some contemporary sculptors or installation artists that blow my mind, but the artists that I check for regularly are all painters.  Peter Doig, Neo Rauch, Julie Mehretu, Liu Xiaodong.  Outside of the contemporary world I’m always looking at Rothko, Bacon, and J.M.W. Turner.

Miscalculation

How do your thoughts and emotions manifest themselves within your work?

I try to let the act of painting take as natural a course as is possible.  So while I’m doing it I try not to over think it or let me emotions sway me to one extreme or the other, e.g. deciding that I’m done painting forever and burning all my canvases or thinking that I’ve made the greatest painting since Vermeer’s The Milkmaid.

But before I start painting, the conceptualizing is most definitely influenced by my thoughts and emotions at the time.  If I was just watching Charlie Rose the night before, and one of his guests, maybe a reporter, is vividly describing a situation that really impacts me emotionally, I might let that kick around in my brain for awhile and then some of those elements might make their way onto a canvas.

Desires: Two

How do your surroundings influence your art?

If you’ve ever been to State College you know that once you get about 3 miles outside of campus (Penn State University) in any direction you’re going to be surrounded by farm fields, woods, and mountains.  A lot of the work I make deals with landscapes in some way.  So I think that having been brought up in an area where I’m surrounded by nature you see some of that get referenced in my work.  When I look out the window of my studio (which is also my bedroom, send me money!!) I see a chicken coop, a field, some woods, and high-pressure sodium vapor lights twinkling a few miles in the distance. It’s good for you psychologically too.  All the open spaces, clean air, safe streets, all of that “breathability” let’s you put more energy into your work.

52Squares

What role does color play within your work?

I try to always be conscious of how a viewer is going to perceive the color in a picture.  Lately a lot of my pieces have been very dark, with a few bursts of light coming through.  Warm orange and yellow tones.  I want those colors to act as a safe haven, like a cup of tea on a cold day.  To give the pictures a sense of balance, so the darkness isn’t overwhelming.

How has your work evolved since you began painting- How does it continue to evolve?

I began thinking of myself as an artist four years ago, that’s when I really started to paint.  I had always dabbled in visual art, and I worked with a local muralist, Mike Pilato, for a few years in high school, but it took me getting into college and the help of an academic adviser (the amazing Vanessa Wade) to find out that visual art was what I really wanted to do.  I started off not giving too much thought to the content in my paintings, a lot of my early stuff was just me taking a photo and adapting it into paint, stuff that was not very inspired.  I did make a painting I really enjoyed during my first introductory painting class at PSU.  It was a portrait of MLK Jr. with an abstracted broken sidewalk as a background, referencing the fact that although we’ve made strides in civil rights, we still have a long way to go until the path is as it should be.  That was my first real piece of good art.

Find One

Describe your current work.  How has it changed from your previous paintings?  What elements have you continued to instill into your paintings?

I’m trying to keep simplifying, simplifying, and simplifying.  My pictures are getting flatter, the colors more solid, and I feel like the narratives are becoming subtler and more precise.  I like the universal idea of “the journey”.  The journey of life, the journey to the grocery store, the journey from childhood to adulthood.  I see that idea reappearing in my work and I enjoy playing with it.

What direction do you see art going in- What is behind it, pushing it into that direction?

You know, I’m so far distanced from the art world physically that I don’t know if I can give you a good answer. 5 hour drive to NYC, 4 hours to Philly. I hold a subscription to Artforum and Art in America, but besides that, my interaction with the art world is minimal. The first time I went to a major art establishment since I started painting (about four years ago), was just this past September (National Gallery of Art, DC).  I can tell you where I hope it is going.  And I hope it is moving in a direction where more and more people believe that they can make a beautiful picture.  I am always hearing people say “ah I’m horrible at drawing” or “I have no artistic skill”.  Everybody can make art that is valuable, and not just valuable in the economical sense.  I think this reflects a greater social disability that we all have, and that is a lack of belief in ourselves. I think we need to reevaluate our perception of the value of art.  I’m all for Damien Hirst creating a diamond-studded skull that sells for 90-some million dollars.  That’s awesome.  And I love Murakami.  But the brother or sister who is making art, a painting, a CD, a movie and wants to sell it so they can pay rent and eat for a month or two doesn’t even get a look, they don’t even have a market.  Vincent and the good people at CAO are making moves in that area, and that’s legit.

Besides that, I think we need to realize more the spiritual value of art, the intangible value of art.  I’d like to see artists of all mediums get more respect in American culture (the only culture I’m relatively qualified to speak on), artists who might not yet have “made it”.  When you tell someone you’re an artist, a filmmaker, or a musician, if you can’t tell them how much money you’ve made, or what kind of big stars you’ve rubbed shoulders with, they could care less.  I hope the playing field levels out a little, and us artists who are flying under the radar can just get a little more respect.

Haha so I don’t know if I’ve answered your question, but that’s where I hope art is going.

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To me, anything visual that evokes a thought or a response is art. Raw emotions go into artists work, so  when the work elicits emotion in others- makes someone feel something- ANYTHING, good or bad, that is a success.  Finding something that resonates within the viewer, or evokes a forgotten memory , hidden emotion, or creates an emotional reaction- that is important.

I approach works of art as though I am uncovering a mystery.  Discovering hidden elements and drawing conclusions may lead to a place you had not anticipated. The  dialogue created within yourself acts as a form of emotional and intellectual communication. As the layers of the piece are peeled away, you actually become intwined within the work itself.

Creating a single piece that can be interpreted from different angles,  and tainted with the thoughts and  experiences of the viewer is a brilliant aspect of art.   Since each individual brings a piece of themselves and their perceptions into the art, the work is constantly evolving, dependent upon who is viewing it.

To me, meeting new people is on the same level to as traveling to a new destination, so I can’t wait to get started! I  am really hoping to connect with individuals who are doing interesting things, thinking lofty thoughts, and pouncing on their dreams full force!

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Also check out www.UndergroundArtSchool.com a new website devoted to advocating the work of art students, graduates, and professionals new to their field.

Buy and sell original art online.

Student Art at Your Fingertips

I recently ran across a very cool new website called College Art Online. What’s so unique about this site is that the art for sale on the site has been created by college students and professors. Of course all of you reading this who are now in or have been through art school know that it’s not a requirement to have that BFA or MFA before your work is good enough to put on the market. But in all honesty, the idea of art students selling their art never would have occurred to me. Morover, the site is a great impetus to help students understand that being an artist does not only require being creative , but it is also means that you have to be a business person if you have any hope of making a living from your work. I’ve seen too many talented artists who simply don’t grap the idea that it takes a lot of effort to move that work out of your house and into the hands of buyers. College Art Online gives students and professors at least one venue to try to accomplish that.

The search functionality of the site is fantastic. They’ve created a great search engine that allows you to quickly search by color and type of art (abstract, landscape, painting, sculpture, etc.), but you can also search by art that has recently been added, artist, category, subject, even the dimensions you want. The most fun aspect of the search is that you can click on a color and art in that color theme pops up. And the variety of art available is amazing. You get a little bit of everything.

The site also really promotes the artists so you don’t have a feeling that this is just a typical art site trying to make sales. If you look at the College Art Online blog, you’ll see updates on shows by featured artists, recent big sales they’ve made, and testimonials by buyers. Whether you just want to see what’s going on in art schools around the world or are in the market, I hope you check out this site & enjoy it as much as I have.

Buy and sell original art online.

Buy and sell original art online.