Today’s guest is Drew Grasso, an artist and printmaker based out of Oakland, CA. We discussed 222 Press, the new publishing project he recently founded and Sun Night Editions, the former print publishing house he once ran with Yoni Asega. We also talked about what motivated him to pursue his passion to be a printmaker and the amount of hard work th…

The newest episode of the podcast features, Meryl Pataky, a multi-disciplined artist known for her amazing neon pieces. Based here in the Bay Area, I visited Meryl in her studio to discuss her early beginnings as a mixed media artist, her neon practice and She Bends, an organization she founded to create a more equitable future for neon. Finally, w…

This week’s guest on the (art)Scene Podcast is Oakland-based artist Esteban Raheem Abdul Raheem Samayoa whose art practice focuses on charcoal, airbrush painting, and most recently mixed media painting and installation. For our conversation I had the pleasure of visiting Esteban in his studio in Oakland to discuss his early beginnings in Sacramento…

After a long hiatus the (art)Scene Podcast is back with a brand new guest: Isaac Vazquez Avila, a painter & sculptor based in San Francisco. I stopped by his studio in Bernal Heights to discuss what drew him to the Bay Area, his art practice and his recent projects including the exhibition that wrapped up at pt. 2 Gallery in Oakland and teaching. F…

On today’s episode I am joined by Liz Hernandez, an artist based in Oakland, CA whose work includes paintings, drawings, sculptures and writings deeply influenced by the memories & surroundings of her hometown in Mexico. We discussed her art practice and the mural she conceived for SFMOMA’s Bay Area Walls exhibition titled Conjuro para la sanación …

After a long hiatus, the (art)Scene Podcast returns with an all new episode featuring Oakland-based artist Lena Gustafson who discusses the projects she worked on during the pandemic including a group exhibition at Pt. 2 Gallery in Oakland titled Holding. Holding runs through July 2, 2020. Check out the Pt. 2 Gallery website for more info. To learn…

Muzae Sesay returns to the podcast this week to catch up with me about the various projects he’s worked on since he’s last been on three years ago such as the blacktop mural he did at the Rainbow Recreation Center in Oakland for Project Blackboard and the two solo shows he recently had at Pt. 2 Gallery. We also talked about latest commission he did…

After a brief hiatus, I am back with a brand new episode featuring Oakland based artist and graphic designer, Lenworth Macintosh who is also goes by Joonbug. On today’s episode you’ll hear us discuss his background in creating his own clothing brand, his graphic design work and his eventual foray into the fine art world. We also discussed his recen…

Back on the podcast is Mark Sabb, Senior Director of Innovation, Marketing and Engagement at the Museum of African Diaspora (MoAD). On today’s episode we discuss what museums such as MoAD, are doing to adapt to being closed during the pandemic. We also talk about the work they can and need to do in resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement. To …

This week we have two new guests on the podcast: Stephanie Garcés, Education and Community Engagement Coordinator at SFMOMA & Stephanie Smith, Director of Content and Creative Strategy at CCA. Today you’ll hear them both discuss on-off.site, a creative collective focused on experimentation, collaboration and inclusion. Be sure to submit to on-off.s…

Luca Antonucci (co-founder of Colpa Press) is back on the podcast this week to talk about the projects Colpa Press is working on during the quarantine and the current state of the 2020 SF Art Book Fair. He also discusses new features to look forward to at the art book fair. Luca Antonucci, co-founder of Colpa Press OCULTAS – Luca Antonucci and Davi…

This week Christo is back on the podcast to talk about his new role at SFMOMA & Incline Gallery’s 9th anniversary show at anälog gallery. We also just check in with each other and see how we are dealing with the COVID-19 self quarantine. Follow SFMOMA on Instagram @sfmoma to see what they are up to during the shutdown with #museumfromhome. Visit in…

New episode with Cléa Massiani, curator & exhibition coordinator at Creativity Explored. We discuss the quarantine, the recent closure of the San Francisco Art Institute and the work that Creativity Explored does in the Bay Area art community.By Louis Vargas

Today’s guest is Jamil Hellu, visual artist based in the Bay Area whose work deals with issues of identity relating to race, queer sexuality, and gender. We discuss his path to becoming an artist and how his art practice has grown over the years. Jamil’s solo show titled Together is on exhibit at SF Camerawork through March 14th. For more info visi…

Today’s guest is Joe Yorty, artist and co-founder of Best Practice, an alternative art space in San Diego. Joe discusses his background in the Navy, his art practice and the work he is doing with Best Practice which he co-runs with his fellow co-founder, Allie Mundt. The current show at Best Practice is titled Rosas y Nopales, featuring work by Arm…

Rio Yañez is back on the pod to talk about two recent projects he’s been working on. The first is a current exhibition at the Thacher Gallery at the University of San Francisco titled Studio Misión: The Artist Studio as Medium by René Yañez. The focus of the exhibition is the world and creative process of Rio’s father René Yañez during his final ye…

The podcast is back and with a special new episode. Today’s guest is Bleu Cease, Executive Director of the Rochester Contemporary Art Center who is on to discuss Current Seen, an upcoming biennial in Rochester, NY dedicated to supporting small and mid-sized venues who are committed to advancing the region’s art community. Current Seen opens October…

The 4th annual San Francisco Art Book Fair kicks off this weekend at the Minnesota Street Project and so for this week’s guest I thought it would be great to invite one of the exhibitors: Adrian Martinez. Adrian is a photographer here in the Bay Area, member of the San Francisco Photography Club and co-founder of the art collective Illetante. In to…

Emily Reynolds and Nando Alvarez-Perez are back on the podcast again, this time to talk about their move to Buffalo and the foundation of the Buffalo Institute for Contemporary Art (BICA). Their new exhibition, “Lindsay Preston Zappa: I Forgot my Shoes” opens June 14th. For more info visit their website at www.thebica.org. You can also follow them …

Today’s guest is Karen Vidángos, creator of the blog “A Latina in Museums” and her instagram project titled “Latinx Curated”. We discuss her background, her motivation for exploring underrepresented perspectives in the museum field, and her recent experience working at the National Portrait Gallery. A Latina in Museums: www.latinainmuseums.com Lati…

Today’s guest is artist, curator and cultural producer Lady PheOnix. We discuss her past career in food & beverage distribution and eventual transition to the art world; YESUNIVERSE, the global visual arts platform she created; and Re-Engineering Humanity the recent exhibition she curated at 836M Gallery. To learn more about YESUNIVERSE visit https…

For today’s episode, Marcel Pardo Ariza returns to the podcast to discuss their inclusion in the YBCA’s Bay Area Now (BAN 8) exhibition; the Womxn* Art Handlers group they co-founded & the recent exhibition they curated at Southern Exposure titled The Tallest Part of the Arch. The Tallest Part of the Arch closed March 30, 2019, for more info visit …

It is Oscars week and so my guest today is Omar Lopex, a local San Diego video artist and now filmmaker. Omar came onto the podcast to discuss his first feature length film titled “Ana, Who They Pulled Out of the River”. We also discuss his previous work which employed analog formats including: wet-plate photography & 16mm / Super 8 film and has ex…

My first guest of 2019 is Christo Oropeza, owner and co-founder of Incline Gallery in San Francisco. A native San Franciscan, Christo discusses his early beginnings as an artist and his current role as a curator, gallery owner and community arts programmer. The current show at Incline Gallery titled The Unmonumental opened January 25th but there wi…

My guest for this special Thanksgiving week episode is Susie Kantor, Associate Curator of Visual Arts at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA). In our conversation today you’ll hear us discuss her journey to a career in the art world and Bay Area Now 8 (BAN 8), the latest exhibition she helped curated at the YBCA. For more information on BAN 8…

Today’s guest is Soleil Summer, Exhibitions Associate at the Museum of African Diaspora (MoAD). We discuss her journey to the West Coast and into the art world including her time at the Betti Ono Gallery in Oakland and her membership in the Bay Area-based art collective known as the Black Mail Collective. We also talk about her role at MoAD in help…

After a long summer hiatus, I return with a brand new guest: Mark Sabb from the Museum of African Diaspora or MoAD for short. Aside from being the Director of Marketing & Communications at MoAD, Mark has also established himself as a digital artist in the Bay Area. On the podcast today you’ll hear Mark discuss his varied background, the artist coll…

This week’s guest is Brock Brake, owner of Pt.2 Gallery in Oakland and director/curator at First Amendment Gallery in San Francisco. We discussed his skateboarding and photojournalism background, what led him to the fine art world and all of the current projects he dedicates most of his time to. Learn more about current and upcoming shows at Pt.2 G…

Today’s guest is Stephanie Rholfs, Bay Area artist and former co-director of City Limits Gallery. We talked about her East Coast background, what led her to the Bay Area and her art practice. We also discussed The Stipend, a grant she co-created to help any artist/art collective who is planning an exhibition. Learn more about Stephanie and her work…

Today my guest is Bay Area Artist Muzae Sesay who recently opened his first solo show at Part 2 Gallery in Oakland titled Domestic Dive. I hung out with Muzae in his studio to discuss the ideas behind his new exhibition and the preparation that went into putting it together. We also discussed his recent artist residency at Facebook and his educatio…

On this week’s episode my guest is Bay Area Artist Lena Gustafson whose work ranges from prints & art books to paintings & murals. All of which utilize beautiful bright colors and the female form. With her partner Peter Calderwood, she also co-owns Night Diver Press where they publish prints, books, zines, and monotypes. Today you’ll hear her talk …

This week I had the pleasure to take the podcast on the road again, and this time, to my hometown of Oceanside, CA. While there, I visited the Oceanside Museum of Art to see one of the many art shows associated with the Getty’s Pacific Standard Time LA/LA (PST LA/LA) initiative titled, Undocumenta. I had the fortune of speaking with Alessandra Moct…

For this week’s podcast I visited New Mexico where I met with Steve Brisk, a soundscape artist and member of the Sante Fe art collective called Meow Wolf. We spoke about the type of art and music he produces, the collective itself and Meow Wolf’s permanent exhibit: The House of Eternal Return. For more information on Meow Wolf and The House of Eter…

My guest this week is Rio Yañez, an artist/curator born and raised in San Francisco’s Mission District. I met up with Rio at his home in the East Bay where he shared about his time growing up in the Mission District’s Chicano art scene, his fascination with Godzilla and his early beginnings as a photographer. We also discussed the various art proje…

These week I am joined by David Kasprzak, the other half of the Colpa Press team in San Francisco. I met up with David at the Colpa Press basement in the Mission district where we discussed his time growing up in Tennessee, the years he spent train hopping all over the country and the multitude of art projects he has taken on here in the Bay Area. …

After being on hiatus for a bit, I am back this week with a brand new guest: San Francisco-based artist, Marcel Pardo Ariza, whose recent show at R/SF Projects titled Slow Clap was featured in Photograph Magazine. Today you’ll hear them talk about their upbringing in Colombia, the time they spent at an international boarding school in Costa Rica, a…

This week the 2nd annual SF Art Book Fair opens at the Minnesota Street Project. To talk more about the fair I have invited one of its co-founders Luca Antonucci, back onto the podcast to discuss it in more detail. Luca was kind of enough to take a break from prepping for the SF Art Book Fair to discuss how it came to be and what to look forward th…

This week I catch up with a former classmate of mine and fellow intern, Martin Strickland who now currently works at the YBCA (Yerba Buena Center for the Arts) as an Exhibitions Associate, Registration and Production. An Alabama native, Martin discusses his educational background which also includes the time he spent in New Orleans working for NO/A…

I’m joined today by David Lasley, a Bay Area based painter. I recently visited his studio in Oakland where we discussed his experience growing up in the Midwest and his time living and working as an artist in Boston. We also talked about his growth as an artist and how that is reflected in his current work. To learn more about David and his work vi…

For episode 18 of the podcast, Bay Area photographer Nando Alvarez-Perez is back to talk about his recent trip to Mexico City where his work was included in the fourth annual Material Art Fair. He also shared his thoughts on his craft, his teaching experience and the state of the photographic medium. To learn more about Nando and his work visit his…

This week we checked back in with San Diego artist Noé Olivas, who just recently finished an artist residency at the San Diego Art Institute (SDAI) and discussed the residency itself as well as the show that came out of it titled la/el/ellas/ellos/usted quinceañera/o. Noé also shares with us the topics and themes that led to the project. We then br…

This week, Louis is joined by Amanda Nudelman, a former classmate at the University of San Diego who now also lives in the Bay Area. Louis and Amanda got a chance to meet up and discuss what she has been up to since college, including her time working at a tech company and her eventual return to the art world. They also discuss Black Light, an exhi…

In episode 15 of The(art)Scene Podcast, Louis is joined by Bay Area artist Elisabeth Ajtay to talk about her early beginnings as a photographer & her current art practice. In addition, Elisabeth shares her experiences growing up in Eastern & Western Europe. To learn more about Elisabeth and her work be sure to visit her website: elisabethajtay.com …

This week on The (art)Scene Podcast, Louis is joined by Whitney Lynn, an artist based out of San Francisco who teaches at Stanford University and the San Francisco Art Institute. Whitney discusses her current show at Bass & Reiner Gallery titled After the Fall, her contribution to Not Alone at the San Francisco Arts Commission Galleries/War Memoria…

After a long holiday break, the podcast is back with a new episode and a new guest: Angella d’Avignon, a writer & curator based out of Los Angeles who has contributed to various publications including the Contemporary Art Review LA, the Atlantic’s City Lab and Vice’s Broadly. Originally from San Diego, Angella discusses her unique journey into the …

This week’s guest is Mariel Bayona: Bay Area artist and one of the four co-directors of Bass & Reiner Gallery. Mariel talks to Louis about her art practice and her experiences growing up in a border town. In addition, she discusses the latest show she curated at Bass & Reiner titled El Hábito, which features the work of Marcela Pardo Ariza and Lore…

Louis meets with Luca Antonucci: Bay Area artist and co-founder of the SF-based Colpa Press, a design, printing and publishing partnership. Luca talks to Louis about his work as an artist and his recent exhibition titled The Custodian. In addition, he discusses the origin of Colpa and the variety of projects that it produces. To learn more about Lu…

Emily Reynolds is back on the podcast this week to talk about her latest show at Bass & Reiner Gallery titled Infinity Cove, which exhibits the work of Leah Beeferman and Kristine Eudey. Be sure to see before it ends on October 29, 2016. Then, in honor of the start of the NFL season, Emily & Louis talk about sports. Emily, who happens to be an arde…

This week’s guest is Tamra Seal, a Bay Area artist who makes large, bright and beautifully constructed sculptures. Louis got a chance to hang out with her in her Oakland studio where they chatted not only about her background as an artist but also about her love for film and how it influences her work. If you are interested in seeing some of her wo…

Gabriel Edwards, a Bay Area artist who was recently written about in Juxtapose Magazine, talks to Louis about the origins of his art career and the Axe Brother podcast he co-hosts with three of his friends. Gabriel also discusses his work that ranges from books on tape to paintings of chairs in various sex positions. For more on Gabriel visit www.g…