Thanks for having me! Last year after organizing some holiday-themed pop-ups at the Good Bar, I and some other local artists and DJs formed an art collective named Bad Good Art Club. Our goal was to help other artists have a free space to sell and gain recognition, and to highlight local musicians and DJs – both new and established.

To date, my favorite pop-up has been a Pride-themed event that I coordinated with friends DJ Dirtnaps and artist Riley Matsumoto (@theoffbeatrolo) that was held at Black in Long Beach. It featured drag performances from local drag house and collective, JailHAUS, a gender-affirming clothing drive and raffle, queer vendors and allies, as well as a specialty food and drink menu.

It’s been really fun and rewarding building and expanding my community connections and being able to share the spotlight with people whose work I admire.

I am a photography-based, mixed media artist who has evolved from always being the kid in the group with a camera taking artsy black and white photos to being a photojournalist for the university newspaper in undergrad while studying sociology. I was really fascinated by the way a photograph could tell a story and how powerful images could be. I later returned to school two more times earning degrees in both commercial and fine art photography. After completing my last degree, I moved to Taos, New Mexico, and became very involved in the art community there, working in art galleries, and coordinating shows, and joined Greg Moon Art Gallery, which still currently represents me.

I think a lot of people don’t understand how much time, energy, and money goes into making art. Being on a tight budget means you often can’t always apply to shows, or have the materials needed to even make your art. That can be incredibly frustrating, and really cause your entire trajectory to come to a screeching halt. I have a full-time job, so trying to network and stay active in the scene, create new work, and still have some spare time gets very tricky. It takes a village, so be supportive and understanding of your creative friends, and don’t take it personally when their time needs to be spent focusing on their art.

Promote diversity and inclusion in the creative industry. Ensure that opportunities are accessible to artists from all backgrounds and cultures. Create affordable studio and workspace options for artists. This can include subsidized rental spaces, co-working facilities, or community art centers where artists can collaborate and create. Incorporate arts and creative subjects into the curriculum at all levels of education. Investing in public art projects dedicated to showcasing art will not only beautify the community but also provide exposure for artists. Encourage cultural appreciation and a strong arts appreciation culture within society. This includes attending exhibitions, performances, pop-ups, promoting on social media, and buying art!!!!! Follow @badgoodartclub to see the upcoming art pop-ups that we’re coordinating.