A Chat with SKINS LA

SKINS LA sent in work for our open call, and I was obsessed with this couple from day one. Freddy makes the art, Kathy runs the business — basically, the dream team. I’ve been chatting with Kathy this whole time and suddenly realized… wait, who’s the actual artist here? So I decided to track down Freddy for a little interview and get the inside scoop. He’s into graffiti and music (so obviously we vibed right away). His answers were honest and I think you'll enjoy this blog post :)

1. Can you walk me through a moment or memory from your childhood that still influences what you paint today?

Graffiti was my first exposure to art, and I loved it. I grew up in the Westlake District of Los

Angeles, amongst way too many opposing gangs in a very tight radius. Every street wall was

covered in graffiti, but that's where my appreciation for Chicano art and cholo font style

came from. A style fueled by the Mexican-American art movement of the 60's in Southwest

America. That's what influences me to this day.

2. When you first started creating your art, was there a particular piece or theme you felt

‘nailed it’? Or one you look back on now and laugh or cringe at?

Skulls. That's how I started and that's still my go to when I want to spark creativity. I still

remember early on when, may he rest in peace, Mr. MF Doom liked my stuff. Honestly, that

was the moment for me, lol! I felt accomplished, like shit, I'm an artist.

3. How do you feel your Mexican heritage shows up in your art — through color, symbolism, materials?

Growing up, Mexico was home just as much as LA was. I spent countless summers and

Christmas holidays there. So, whether my art is political, a bright vibrant skull or just some

abstract doodle, Mexico is me. I guess what Im trying to say is, its nearly in every aspect of my art, obvious or not, intentional or not.

4. If you could take one of your paintings and bring it to life (in 3D or as an experience), what would it look like?

Funny, we almost did that with a piece called ‘El Empresario’. It's a painting of a street vendor or an ‘elotero’ which I was to turn into a 3D piece. This was quite a few years ago, sadly the event never happened due to covid. It was a piece dedicated to our LA street vendors. True entrepreneurs but never given the same respect.

5. What’s a traditional Mexican folkloric element (a myth, a pattern, a tale, a ritual) that you’d love to reinterpret in a totally modern piece someday?

This may not sit well with some but I would say La Virgen De Guadalupe. She is parallel to god status in Mexico. I guess any change to her image could be seen as sacrilegious but that would not be my intention. Ive worked on several renderings but I’ve never shown them outside of my studio.

6. When you’re not in ‘studio mode,’ what do you love doing that recharges your creativity —foods you cook, places you travel, music you listen to?

Travel always feeds my spirit, even the anticipation gives me life. On a day to day basis,

cooking. Fresh - from scratch. My son has also started to show an interest in cooking which I

just love. Preparing food next to him brings me right back to when I was a boy, in the kitchen

with my Mom. Music is also life. It is like air in our home, always there. My wife and I have a

fairly eclectic taste in music but our 4yr old has decided he's a House fan, so we currently

have a lot of club classics playing on repeat.

7. In your opinion, is there an underrated Mexican artist (past or present) you think more

people should know about?

Definitely not underrated or unknown but David Alfaro Siqueiros. Please check him out.

8. When you design a wearable piece (like a jacket or tee) that tells your life story, which key symbols or motifs would you include?

I play a very very small part in the clothing, it's all my wife...lol, who am I kidding, I don't play any part! She sees what works and interprets my paintings in ways I never would have

considered. She will take one corner of a painting and say ‘that's the one’ and Ill be like, what

the fuck is she doing, next thing I know, its a jacket! When I do hand painted pieces though, it's always a skull heavily influenced by LA culture. For my life story? You will have ‘ghetto birds’ flying, LAPD, drugs, shenanigans, the lot...and when you open it up, I have found peace, rainbows and family.

9. How do you balance staying true to your cultural identity with evolving and experimenting in your art?

It's not something that crosses my mind to be honest. My cultural identity is just who I am,

my being. Now, has my art changed over the years? Absolutely. Especially in recent years. It's

definitely less vibrant and colorful. It's heavier, more politically driven, for obvious reasons.

Working with a lot more charcoal these days, very monochrome, but also very taxing at times. Still navigating through this phase.

10. Suppose in 50 years someone sees your art — what do you hope they feel, think, or ask

about when they see it?

My wife does a lot of the art shows for me, and she always laughs at how strongly people

react to my paintings. As she says, people are rarely on the fence, they either love it or they

absolutely do not have a fucking clue what's happening. I love that, art has to move you or

what's the point! I hope in 50 years from now, I still make people feel something.

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