art bazaar for worker solidarity
JENNY AGUIRRE
How are you? How have you been coping with this pandemic/ quarantine?
Initially, during the first few weeks when everyone was being insanely individualistic and hoarding water and toilet paper, I felt a panic that the chaos would worsen and riots would ensue. During those initial weeks I felt anger towards the public for being selfish and not allowing others to obtain bare essentials needed to live a civilized life in Los Angeles. Weeks later, I began to feel afraid for my parents financial status amid the crisis, and for my own, fearing to lose my job, or get sick and not be able to work for weeks. I felt fear for my pregnancy, not knowing if pregnant women would be affected more as our immune system changes during the course of the 40 weeks. Finally, dealing with the pause of our fast paced lives that we are so used to in Los Angeles, and wondering if my partner and I can manage staying home without getting cabin fever and missing friends and family. Slowly, I have been accepting our circumstances. Surrendering allows one to move forward, and this is clearly out of our control. Mother nature and destiny is playing a dominant role, and we must surrender and accept so that the fear and angst can dissolve. Some days I am better at it than others. I stay active with prenatal yoga, walks, journaling, reading, making art, and baking. All things I want to get better at, and the quarantine has helped to put focus on that..
What are you working on right now?
I am working on collages on paper and revisiting life drawing and life painting. I have not done much life drawing and painting since art school. I didn’t realize how much I missed it until I started making small drawings of my partner, he is my only available model at the moment. I always considered myself strictly an abstract artist, but I recently found the need to continue practicing all my art skills and continue to be well-rounded and alternate back and forth in order to allow my creative self different avenues of expression.
Do you ever get stuck in your practice? how do you unstuck?
Yes, always. I take many pauses in life from my art. Recently, I picked up an old book that I bought during college after an art teacher recommended all her students to read it. The book is called The Artist Way by Julia Cameron, and it is a spiritual path to finding your creative self once again and how to nurture it. I’ve only begun to read, but I am currently practicing the routine she starts the reader off with called “Morning Pages”. One needs to journal 3 pages upon waking up, or while sipping on coffee. The journaling can be about anything that pops into your head, and if you have nothing, you can write that you have nothing to write, over and over again, until you begin to let loose and have something. She explains this allows your mind to get rid of pointless worries or thoughts that come through, and leave it clear and open for creative energy and ideas to come through instead.
What made you wanna get involved in Art Bazaar for Worker Solidarity?
As a daughter of immigrants who are now citizens of the US, my empathy is with them. Immigrants are truly a huge backbone to this country whether your political views understand that or not. Where else will you find born Americans to do the same line of work they do for the little money they get paid? If this country gets rid of them, they get rid of our economy, and those who refuse to realize that are ignorant.
What are some cartoons you liked as a child?
I remember watching Saturday morning cartoons on the local channels. I would watch Looney Tunes, the X-men, and several more I can’t recall.
Any favorite foods, least favorite foods?
l always thank my palate for allowing me to have such a broad spectrum of taste for foods. I really love every kind of food, and don’t shy away from trying everything at least once. It’s hard to choose favorites, I don’t do favorites, to name a few: Japanese food, Mexican food, Vietnamese…
Where are you from and how does it influence your art?
I was born in Los Angeles in the late 80s. My family and I lived in South Central and moved after the 1994 earthquake. I don’t consider myself to be from any particular city within Los Angeles County as we moved a few times during my childhood and I attended Magnet schools that would bus me out to schools in Culver City and Hollywood. My roots were never grounded anywhere in particular and I am grateful for that. I was exposed to so much because of it, and attended a diverse elementary school and high school. I always credit these experiences as the reasons why I wanted more for myself. I wanted travel, art, fashion, music so much more differently than what was taught at home or amongst my cousins. I was always influenced by art in my schooling from cultural arts, to dancing, singing, acting, writing, and painting. They helped shape me into who I am now. My parents did not teach this to me, but they NEVER discouraged it. They never once asked,”...but where will that get you in life?” They just supported and were present when possible.
Have you ever sustained any art related injuries? Tell us about it!
I haven’t, but I do have carpal tunnel that came out of the day jobs I’ve had that require computer usage. This has, from time to time, affected my body while making art. Aches and pains that make me pause, or leave me sore after a session, but it’s manageable with ice bags and creams.
How do you envision the art world post-pandemic?
I have witnessed more people delving back into our primitive need for art, and see people that have never attempted to draw- draw! I think this pandemic has forced people to look within, and sit with thyself more than ever before, and when allowed that acknowledgement, the human urge to create comes back. This Pandemic has definitely made people see creativity a lot differently, and has allowed people to try being artists, bakers, sewers, makers. It’s a wonderful thing.
