lugonzalez94

[lugonzalez94]

series "brown hands tend the land", for the FOOD CHAIN exhibition at the drawing room sf spring 2024

I feel like I did a disservice to myself for not posting about the series I did for this exhibition during the time it was actually in the exhibition. However I want to accept the grace I gave myself for spending my time and energy coping with the transitions I was going through at the time. I was so busy I only got to go to the gallery once to admire the art and to visit my pieces in the exhibition. Life goes on and doesn't wait for anyone.

Here's what I wrote to describe this series:

Food chain: “a hierarchical system or structure, a pecking order, power dynamics, and the like.” I can’t help but think about the people behind my produce. Every time I go to a farmer’s market, I think about the people who are selling their harvest, the people who picked it, what their stories might be, what their life might be like. It takes me back to the stories my father would tell me about being a fieldworker in his early 20’s in the central coast of California. He would migrate to the states every summer from Mexico, going from bus to car to train. He’d work in the fields of Oxnard with his now-estranged father. He daydreamed about moving with his father and going to school in the states. My dad loved school. But to this day he always cringes at the sight of celery fields, saying what a pain they were to harvest.  In the midst of the systemic racism and lack of social justice plaguing fieldworkers, this country seems to have forgotten that fieldworkers are people too. They’re people with families, dreams, motivations, and a right to a fair life. They were once children too, born into families who valued sharing meals, sharing stories, sharing laughs, passing on traditions, and maybe starting new ones. They grew up in the fields, working during the early hours of the morning, probably before going to school. Maybe some enjoyed the countryside, tending to crops, being out in the quiet, away from the big, loud cities. Maybe some dreamed of something beyond the fields, doing something different with their life. Many people migrate to work in the fields of California in the hopes of fleeing their motherlands for a “better life.” This country often forgets that without fieldworkers, there would be no food. When thinking of the “farm to table” food chain, we often list fieldworkers last. But they are an essential part of the chain. Your organic kale from the farmer’s market would probably be triple the price if it were picked with White hands. Who else would brave freezing morning temps and risk blazing California fires just to get paid? Who else would make the sacrifice to flee their land to a place where their rights are limited? Consider the people behind the produce when you visit your farmer’s market this week. Think about what their life might be like, who they might be, where they may have come from.   This series tells their story. From el campo to the farmer’s market, your food likely comes from caring, hardworking, brown hands. From a campesino born from a mamá.

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As I begin working on other projects centered around Día de los Muertos and my culture, I find myself going back to this series and my process. I think about the hardships and hard work of my people, the people who came before me. The children who are affected by the day to day of what it means to be latinx and to live in a family dedicated to working en el campo. I think about my family and my identity and what this all has to do with me and how I live my life. I'm trying to lean into the urge of writing out my thoughts and feelings and actually take the time to explore the things I'm interested in. Like, for example:

the colors and textures used in mesoamerican / mexican art

key mexican artists

the history behind the aztecs and mayans and their mythology

what the history behind common mexican and mesoamerican traditions were

architecture, textiles, symbols

symbolism such as the eagle and the snake, the pyramids, cantaritos, corn, anything else

whether or not catholicism can be separated from the indigenous culture

In some ways I feel like a fraud and I'm not authentic because I don't know these things. I know that's not true. And I think that what matters is that I'm trying now which is better than not trying at all, or just getting comfortable with not knowing and spending my time taking in whatever instagram decides to fill my feed with. I guess what feels hard right now is that since I can't actually go to Mexico and immerse myself in the culture, and there's only so much my parents and extended family know, that I don't know where to start. Or how to start.

I'm going to go to a Oaxacan gift shop tomorrow and to see the chicanx exhibition at OMCA tomorrow in the hopes of getting some answers, and inspiration for a few pieces I'm working on. Maybe that'll be a good start.

[lugonzalez94]

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A post shared by Lupita M González (@seen.nombre)

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working on something more familiar

really in love with these textures and colors

collage of cut up artwork, acryla gouache on cold press

[lugonzalez94]

about

Lupita M. González is a self-taught watercolor artist based in Oakland. She explores layering and texture through watercolor and gouache and keeps things playful by incorporating ink and colored pencil into her work. She likes to explore landscapes, water, still-life, and community through food and place. 

[lugonzalez94]

2022 Reflections

Jan 8

This past year was full of change. Every year has changes, sure, but this past year I felt like I was entering a new chapter. I felt like I evolved as a person and became more of myself. After I wrote this I went back and re-read my 2021 Reflections post and noticed some similar themes. However I can wholeheartedly say I’m a little different than who I was back then yet I feel more like myself.

With the many changes I went through this year came celebration and moments of grief. I grieved the ending of some relationships, the person I used to be, the life I had before the pandemic and the life I had during the pandemic. I grieved knowing that life constantly changes and people change too. I grieved being unable to paint or create art.

I didn’t make art for months at a time. I felt stuck and unmotivated and wanted to give myself space to feel the feels and not force myself to do something I “should” be doing as an artist. I wanted it to be natural. I learned how to genuinely be kind to myself and return to making art when it felt right (I had this mindset when doing anything, really). And in those moments when I was able to get back into the groove, I made some really beautiful things (and some ugly things too). I felt renewed. It made me happy and I had fun. 

Some things I celebrated this past year were being reunited with friends and family, familiar places, and making new memories. I celebrated the freedom of coming out of the dark hole of the pandemic by going to see live music, going out to eat more often, and taking small roadtrips. I celebrated my friendships, the people in my life, and the life I’ve built for myself as an adult through quality time. I moved to a new home in a city that feels more like where I belong. I started taking on more responsibilities in my personal life and my career. I celebrated my health and the body I have through exercise and rest and eating well. I did things that I started to last year but better and more consistent. The seeds I planted last year began to sprout and deepen their roots.

I started off this new year excited and hopeful. I’m more confident in myself, in who I am as a person and who I am as an artist. I transitioned into this year by having some of my art up at a gallery in San Francisco. Having my art up for the public to see is not something I’ve ever anticipated in doing, or really interested in. I guess it’s because I didn’t feel like I could do it and I was unsure if I could handle the emotional rollercoaster it is to have your art out there for people to see and judge. I didn’t believe that the opportunity would present itself with open arms and take me in. However, it happened just like that. After a year of being unsure if I’d paint again or find happiness in making art, going for this opportunity and making it boosted my self confidence. The overwhelming amount of support I received from my friends and family helped me see that others believe in me, and by doing this I believe in myself too. That’s kind of a big deal. I’m proud that I believed in myself and made something that I wanted to share. I’m proud of myself for taking that leap of faith and submitted that application. I made sure that no matter what the outcome was that I’d be happy that I tried.

So, overall, last year was a decent year. I did a lot, made a lot of new friends and connections, I grew. And while I’m excited for what this year has in store, I’m enjoying taking things slow. As much as I enjoy going out, I’m enjoying spending days at home painting, cooking, baking, and watching movies. I’m looking forward to sharing more of my practice and my life, but in my own time (:

Anyways, thanks for reading, cheers to the new year!

[lugonzalez94]

Journey Down the Yellow Brick Road Part 2

This post is long overdue since I finished the YBR2 workshop earlier this month, but life’s been keeping me busy. To be honest it’s been a bit hard to keep up with my practice, with making this blogpost, with my social life, or working on selling my art, but I am coming up from it and doing the best I can!

YBR 2 Week 3 - 5: Making the Finish Line

In my previous post I left off with struggling with 1 of my 3 paintings, sitting with 2 of my 3 paintings, and letting some thoughts around my practice and who I am as an artist simmer.

I found myself stuck with the Té de Noche painting because I was overthinking it. I wanted to bring in the feeling I get while sitting around the table at my grandma’s house on Sunday evenings with the family. We share pan dulce, café con leche, and friendly conversation. I guess one of the reasons why I was struggling with this was that I was trying to remake a memory and was getting caught up in the details. For instance, I couldn’t for the life of me remember what kind of table cover my grandma had. This memory of Sunday evenings together also began to feel very distant to me. Even though I have spent close to every Sunday at my grandma’s for more than half of my life, these past 2 years that we’ve missed spending together has made a significant gap in my memory. I was also going through another significant life change during the last few weeks of YBR2, so I was going through a lot emotionally and physically. And as I was going through these emotions and thoughts, I came to realize that although I was hoping this series would depict community and family, it’s rooted in moments of solitude. It’s about finding joy in your own company. Comfort in your own thoughts. It’s about putting yourself first and taking the time to care for yourself. Letting myself figure this out while doing the work was exciting. It’s interesting how much art can teach us and let us discover for ourselves, especially if you’re the one making it.

I often find myself stuck in a painting when I’m close to finishing it but I’m unsure if it’s done. I also feel stuck when I’m trying something new and it doesn’t feel quite right and I don’t like how it’s coming along (big shocker, this happens all the time when you try something new!). I haven’t really worked this big before, which made me feel like I have a lot of space to work with, so I automatically think I need to add more to my painting to fill the space. I also received the feedback that my art is quite graphic, which I didn’t really realize before. At first, I wasn’t sure how to feel about that. But after some time to think, I came to realize that yes, my work has always been a bit graphic. I’ve more-or-less drawn and painted the same way since I was a child, it’s just better now. There’s nothing wrong with it, it’s just who I am. My art is soft and warm. My art has some texture, some shadows, some shading. My art is round and curvy. My art depicts the way I see the world. It’s my artistic voice.

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To get unstuck, I take some time away from my work. Or sometimes I make different work, like work on a different painting or in my sketchbook. I come back to things when I feel the time is right. I don’t force it, I know it’ll happen. What I love most about my practice is that it’s mine. I can make things I envision or am inspired by and bring them to life. I listen to my favorite music while making art. I use materials that I that feel good. I let myself get “in the zone” and just be in it. Most of the time I go in with no expectations. And honestly, these things helped me finish my series.

After adding a few more details and letting my paintings be, I finished! I feel so accomplished with my series and I am very proud of myself. Taking this class and going through this journey has really made me develop a newfound dedication to my practice. During the last two weeks of the workshop, I started a new job. And while I was preoccupied with the transition, I noticed I missed painting when I was doing other things and I noticed when I felt like I wanted to paint. I worked best at night right before bed and also made time to get a little paint session in the morning before I started work. From this series, I see a few more paintings, and have even started to work on a few. I see another picnic scene. I see more moments of solitude. I see moments of longing and wishful thinking. I see community. I see smoothness. I see some rough textures. I see scenes in different angles.

Ultimately, I feel motivated to keep going and to build out my community with other artists and support systems. I feel more confident in sharing with those close to me and re-evaluating what I want to share, how much to share, and with who.

After the workshop I’ve been a bit quiet and took some time to rest. I felt like I needed it. This transition has also been a lot and has been challenging to navigate. I haven’t had the energy or mental capacity to paint a lot, which bums me out. But I take advantage of those few moments where I feel motivated to paint and just do it. I also started to sketch on the couch a bit, which has been fun. I took a little trip with my closest friend and my sister, which made me feel re-energized. I feel like I’m getting over this slump and am looking forward for what’s to come.

Thanks for reading and for being here.

[lugonzalez94]

Journey down the Yellow Brick Road Part 1

Jan 23

This month I began participating in a 5-week workshop hosted by one of my favorite Bay Area artists, Lindsay Stripling. The workshop is called Yellow Brick Road 2 (YBR2), which is a sequel to the first workshop (YBR1) that I took back in October. Essentially the class is a studio class where Lindsay provides mentorship and a framework for us to not only create a series of paintings but to get a better understanding of what makes us an artist, what makes us unique, what messages we want to convey, and how to bring those to life in a work of art. You can get more info on YBR and the other cool workshops Lindsay offers here.

YBR2: Week 1-2

Unlike YBR1, we kicked off YBR2 with diving into our first paintings pretty quick. To me, this took minimal prep, however I realized that I kinda prepared for this series during YBR1 — I am familiar with my materials, I know what colors make up “my world”, I generally know my artistic voice, I’ve gotten comfortable with diving in and getting paint on paper — so diving into these paintings wasn’t too scary.

For this workshop, I already had a series in mind which centers around community, quality time, and tea. This series was inspired by a piece that I made for the 2021 staff show I participated in while working at Rare Device. The theme for the staff show was “Tiny Moments”, which showcased tiny moments, be they habits, routines, objects of daily use, or unexpected occurrences, during the pandemic that brought us comfort or kept us grounded during a time of big changes. For me, the strawberry teapot I bought during a trip to Placerville, CA served as a very important thing in my life during early 2021 (and even now in 2022).

I wasn’t a tea person until I went to college. Unfortunately my body can only handle 1 cup of coffee, which I always start my days with, so tea became a comforting treat during moments of relaxation or focus. And so, when we walked into the Placerville Hardware Store and stumbled upon the huge display of teapots, I thought to myself my tea game is about to get real. The strawberry teapot immediately caught my eye and instantly brought me joy. It was the best impulsive pandemic purchase I’ve made so far.

Soon after, I developed a daily routine of making myself a cup of tea when winding down my day, during that time in the afternoon where the work day is just about over and the evening is just about to begin. Making tea is such a ritual - you heat up your water, you choose your cup and your tea, then you get your tea set up in your infuser, you let it steep, you pour it into your mug and add sweetener if you like. Finally (at least for me), you post up on your comfy armchair that’s in a perfect little sunny spot in your apartment with your dog and watch the the sun begin to set while people bike or walk on by. The act of making tea became so grounding for me that it became a part of my self-care routine. It calmed my anxiety, helped me slow down, and gave me a moment to spend time by myself without distractions and spend time with my dog. I maintained my sanity during the pandemic because of tea (just like I function day to day because of coffee). That is how the original painting of the strawberry teapot was born.

Since I created the first strawberry teapot painting for the staff show, my mind was buzzing with ideas for a series of teapots. I thought about painting different fruit-shaped teapots. I thought about painting different picnic scenes that included teapots. I thought about painting a series of teacups. And on and on it went. As much as I thought about painting this series and bringing it to life, the less I wanted to actually do it. I wasn’t motivated. Until I started YBR2.

During the first week of YBR2, we spent some time reflecting on previous work and what concepts showed up in our work and how those relate to what we’re currently interested in or excited about painting. While the strawberry teapot brought me joy and helped me appreciate the “small things” or the “small moments” in life, it also represents something to share with others. Although this teapot mainly supported me while I was alone and reminded me of the time I spent with others, it helped me appreciate moments of solitude. I value spending quality time with others and having conversations over food, and that’s something I deeply missed (and still miss) while living in this pandemic. But this time taught me how wonderful moments of solitude can be and how they are just as important as spending time with others. By using watercolor and gouache as texture, I wanted to convey comfort and solitude in this series of paintings.

From there I created a series of thumbnails for my paintings in Procreate, made color mocks, and put pencil to paper to make the underdrawings. To be quite honest, these steps are something that I do not usually incorporate in my practice, but we were encouraged to do them by Lindsay so I thought I’d make an effort and do them. When painting, I usually just go into it without a plan or underdrawing and see where it takes me. I like the freedom of winging things and not having to worry about changing the story as I go. However I was pleasantly surprised how much planning the thumbnails and color mocks helped me with not only getting the paintings started and making significant progress, but also help me feel confident and feel like I know what I’m doing.

But now as I am writing this, I realize I could have included 2 tea cups or mugs or other elements in the paintings that can represent “community” and “connection with others”…guess I’ll save those for my next series (;

Once I drew out and erased the underdrawings, I began to paint.

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I’m not gonna lie, I made great headway with the strawberry and yin yang paintings and was really challenged by the last painting. I think I struggled with getting the third one going and making progress for two reasons:

I had done the other two before as paintings or sketches on Procreate so I already knew what it would look like compared to the third teapot, and

I got a bit sidetracked with answering deeper questions about my art and what kind of artist I want to be (based on some prompts within our worksheets)

This past week we were prompted to think about questions and our artist statement. And although this put me in a bit of a slump, I feel like it came at the perfect time. Some questions that came to mind this week were:

What kind of “things” or “concepts” or “feelings” are these paintings trying to convey? What do I want them to look like? To feel like? What do I value about my art practice? As an artist? Where do I want to go?

I value being honest in my paintings, having freedom of expression and expressing what I mean/feel. I also value sharing art with others. Currently, I think my work conveys these things. But I worry that these values might get lost with my ambitions of becoming an artist who sells their work or may even make art on commission. For now, I really want to make art for art’s sake, for the sake of creating. I feel like I do want to share my art by opening a shop or selling at craft fairs, but I’m worried. Will this feeling get lost with pursuing more? Will my practice become something other than just a practice? While I have some answers drafted, I think I have to sit with the thoughts and feelings I am having a bit more and think about it.

[lugonzalez94]

2021 reflections

this year was challenging as heck. while reflecting during these last few days of 2021, i realized how much i’ve grown. it’s also a bit hard to decipher what happened this year or last since these past two years seem to somehow mesh into each other, however i know that this year i became more confident in myself and my actions. i kicked ass in work. i leveled up in my art practice. and i feel like i finally know myself better and i accept her and love her. and that’s something i’ve never been able to genuinely say before.

but with growth comes challenges and pain, and for a good portion of the year i felt like i was going through sticky growing pains.

i thought a lot. i used to pride myself for not being a reflective person, childish i know, but that has changed. i thought a lot about who i am, how far i’ve come, what’s yet to come. i thought about what i value and what i appreciate and it makes me feel more whole. i’ve come to appreciate where i live (my apartment and california and the bay area), the people i have in my life, the time i get to spend with others and the memories we made. i appreciate the opportunities life has given me and the ones i’ve made for myself. i appreciate quiet moments and time alone to care for myself. i really feel like this year was truly a turning point in my life and it’s exciting. 

but within those moments of reflection and excitement also came darkness. throughout the year, off and on, i felt alone. i felt lost. i cried. i thought too much. i was unhappy with my body and my hair (the fringe was cute while it lasted). some days i couldn’t do anything. i became annoyed with how social media takes up so much of my time. i wondered if i was headed in the right direction or if i was meant to do something else. i was anxious and paranoid over many things and sometimes over nothing. it was often hard to pinpoint what exactly made me feel this way, and i often had to conclude that it was bc of the pandemic we’re in and that my life is changing. i’m growing up and that’s life. i tell myself to try not to dwell too much or care so much about change, since change is always constant. but in the moment i try to let myself feel it out, notice it, acknowledge it, and learn how i can move forward. solo trips to the beach on the most gloomiest days helped me feel renewed. listening to music helped me understand and feel. i’ve always been a bit sad and that’s how i’ve always existed, but it doesn’t entirely make me who i am. 

but in between moments of despair and sadness, i had some of the best days of my life. sometimes they were mundane, but i think living in this pandemic has really influenced what i’ve come to appreciate and sometimes it’s really about the little things. i reconnected with old friends and made new ones. i adopted a dog (i’ve never had a dog before!!) and learned a new kind of unconditional love. i read some books. i traveled a bit. i slept and rested a lot. i meditated. i discovered some really great music. i started going to concerts again, and even met one of my favorite artists of all time. i finished my thesis and got my diploma. i had a lot of taco bell. i participated in an art workshop and made some really cool pieces. i participated in a staff art show at my part-time gig in sf. i began to workout again and made my health a priority. i made more of an effort in my friendships and relationships. i made bread. i got 3 tattoos. i celebrated another anniversary with my partner. i had some really good coffee and beer. i made a fricken website to showcase my art. i had fun. 

i hope this really is a turning point in my life and that i continue on this path i’ve created. i put so much time and effort and work into this, but i recognize and am trying to remind myself that i’m going at my own pace, things take time, and i can take up space. and i can cry lol. 

anyways, thanks to my friends and my partner and my family and my community and my favorite music for making this year suck less. best wishes for the new year. -L

[lugonzalez94]

my first blog post for my website

Hi there, welcome to my website!

This is my first blog post and I am so excited to be able to share it with you. This website is something I didn’t plan on making, but with the support and encouragement from friends and family, I’m proud to see it come to fruition. Thank you thank you thank you!

I guess I’ll start with an introduction - my name is Lupita (she/her/ella) and I live in the San Francisco Bay Area in the East Bay suburbs. I was born and raised here, just south of Oakland. I grew up in a tight-knit, Mexican-American household, spending every Sunday at grandmas with cousins and extended family. Growing up I thought the Bay Area was a bit boring and it wasn’t until college that I discovered a love for the urban streets, the golden hillsides, and the many different people in my life. I did my undergraduate at San Francisco State and became so inspired by the Bay Area landscapes from my daily commutes to the city on BART. From the crooked streets to the city skylines, from the bay waters to the coast, from the unforgettable sunsets and foggy mornings, I am a Bay Area native through and through.

As you’ve guessed, my art is inspired by my home and by the California coast, but also by music, people, and plants. Although I mainly work with watercolor, I sometimes play with gouache, ink, pen, and photography. I’m still learning how to be an “artist” and figure out my style, learning to work through challenges and being vulnerable with sharing my art and process, and I’m excited to share this journey with you. In my blog I’ll write about my process, my thoughts, and life. Hope you enjoy it.

Thanks again for being here, stay tuned for more.

— L

[lugonzalez94]

Seen Nombre,

Feb 6

A dear friend reached out to me telling me how brilliant my IG handle was. I had changed it for the hundredth time and I told him I think I finally landed on something that I actually liked and something that reflected me and my artwork, which then spiraled down a rabbit hole of self-reflection and some “ah-ha” moments (TK, sorry to have bombarded you with an essay through IG DM’s, you’re a real one I love you so much my friend). 

My IG art-handle is: seen.nombre (a play on the saying “sin nombre”, which means “nameless” in Spanish). “Sin nombre” was already taken on the platform, but I wanted the name so I had to get playful with it, but I think it has a deeper meaning that I originally meant it to have, much like my art. In the end, it’s working out for me. It feels right. 

Throughout my whole life I have struggled with my name. Don’t get me wrong, I love my name, but its history and my culture and the society I live in that makes things a bit complicated. For example, I didn’t learn that my real name is actually “Maria” and “Lupita” was just a nickname until I was in Kindergarten. It was a whole thing and it was devastating. Every time I started a new school or entered a new class I had to explain my name to my teacher and my friends. Same thing with jobs. And checking in at the airport. Or signing a new lease. For some this wasn’t a big deal, for others it was ridiculous. At my first job my boss told me that trying to remember to call me Lupita instead of Maria was going to be hard for her to remember and she wasn’t going to do it. I had a few professors in college mix my names up in front of everyone in class and I couldn’t help but feel embarrassed for them. Like why the fuck did she just call me Maria when she called me Lupita 2 minutes before? I could go on and on. In every situation I couldn’t help but feel this nervousness creep up inside me. I felt like explaining my name was complicated and it makes me almost start to feel bad about my name and the confusion it can cause people which is total bullshit. But that’s what it’s been like. “Lupita” directly translated is “little Lupe” and is derived from “Maria Guadalupe”, my legal name. This is the name of la Virgen Maria, la Virgen de Guadalupe, otherwise known as Mother Mary, an icon and symbol of strength in Mexican culture. It’s pretty badass. It’s old school. It’s hella common in Mexico.

So with the trauma I carry with explaining and defending my name came debilitating anxiousness when trying to find a name for myself as an artist. Naturally, using Lupita Gonzalez felt like a problem. 1) I feel like it doesn’t reflect who I am as an artist accurately and 2) the amount of Lupita Gonzalez’s there are in the world is insane and I find it hard to make a name for myself because of everything I’ve talked about so far. Let’s unpack this together shall we. This may be my own insecurity talking, but my name is Mexican as fuck. I know it’s messed up to think that my name is “too Mexican” for me and if I think about it long enough I feel ashamed, but I can’t help but feel like it is! Yes I grew up speaking Spanish and in a family with strong Mexican-Catholic values, but we’re also pretty Americanized. When my family moved to the states, when my grandparents raised my mom in Redwood City, and when my parents settled down in the Bay Area, they tried to fit in by learning how to cook Thanksgiving dinners and meatloaf and other foods that are absolutely not in our culture. They began picking up English and teaching us that as our first language. We celebrated the American holidays more than we celebrated the Mexican holidays. I didn’t even know the significance of Día de los Muertos or our Independence Day til later in life. Sure we’d watch telenovelas and Spanish cartoons, listened to reggaeton and banda every now and then, but in the end we’re pretty Americanized. I didn’t even have a quince because my mom said that’s “too Mexican” for us. So I feel like when people see my name they’ll expect something out of me. Or, they’ll label me as “Mexican” and maybe pass me up because it doesn’t fit their “aesthetic” or what’s trending. Then they’ll miss my art entirely. Maybe I’m just overthinking it. 

But this is how I feel as an artist. The art community, while beginning to uplift the voices of women, femme, and POC artists, is still hella white. A majority of the spaces that hold art are white-dominant. The art that sells the most or get the most likes fits this “white aesthetic”. Sure it’s pretty and clean cut and modern and nice to look at, but it’s everywhere and it’s exhausting and it’s becoming so basic. So when thinking of what my IG handle or website or brand will be named or look like, I felt this pressure of fitting the mould and be succumbed to this white, perfect aesthetic, and that doesn’t feel right at all. Even when I tried to give in, something pulled me back and was like nah, this isn’t it. Naturally, I go against the mould and march to the beat of my own drum (can you guess what sign I am?). And through my practice I don’t follow many rules, I value imperfection, I keep it real. I don’t really care about fitting in or following the trends. I just want to paint. 

So let’s make it more confusing. I am Seen Nombre. Seen Nombre is by me, Lupita Gonzalez. I want to be seen in my own way and I don’t want to be labeled as hella Mexican or not Mexican enough or not being trendy or whatever. I just want to put my art out there because I like sharing it and I like making things and it makes people happy. It makes me happy. My art evolves, the world evolves, we all evolve, and I am constantly evolving, so it’s no use being tied to something like a name or a brand or an aesthetic or a trend. I just want to be me. Now that I’m an adult I’m putting in the work to learn more about my culture and the symbols that I feel connected to and who I am as a Mexican-American female artist, which is beginning to become reflected in my art more and more.