We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Steven Chavez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Steven below.
Alright, Steven thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
When I was eight years old my brother’s friend brought his custom painted lowrider to our house in Pacoima, CA and parked it in the sun on our driveway. I must’ve walked around the car, a 1978 Ford Thunderbird, at least three times. I was amazed by the paint colors, graphics and shimmer. I knew right then and there that I was interested in art.
Steven, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Steven Chavez and I was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, CA. My trajectory to my current landscape architecture and photography work included a lot of self discovery. In my teens and early twenties, I worked as an custom car builder and painter that focused on cars from the 1950s and 1960s. In the early 1990s, had the opportunity to work with the legendary custom car builder, Gene Winfield.
An interest in architecture started to develop in my mid twenties and I decided to go to community college to study architecture. While I was taking my general education requirements at community college, I enrolled in an environmental science course. This course was influential and made me think more about the relationship of building and the natural environment and found that landscape architecture brings the two together.
I applied and was accepted to the landscape architecture program at the University of Washington in 2000. While studying at UW, I found a part time job working with the artist, Betsy Eby, and later did my internship with the landscape architecture firm, Gustafson Guthrie Nichol (GGN). Studying at UW and working for Betsy Eby and GGN were all springboards for career in landscape architecture and photography.
Since 2006, I’ve run my own micro business in landscape architecture that focuses on one to two projects at a time. And since 2018, I’ve been a teacher of landscape architecture at UCLA Extension.
My interest in photography began by taking pictures of landscape architecture and land art projects. In 2016, I decided to go back to college and chose photography as my graduate major. I received a Master of Fine Arts in Photography from the Belfast School of Art at Ulster University in 2018. My photography has developed into a focus on the ordinary everyday urban landscapes that are often overlooked. I see potential in these landscapes and often integrate them into my work as a landscape architect.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
Currently my goal is to transform underutilized residual and interstitial urban spaces into places of wonder, respite and joy — with the hopes that it will improve the everyday life of urban dwellers.
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I wish I knew more about financial literacy and investing at an early age to make financially sound lifestyle decisions — and benefit from accumulating compound interest over the years. Being financially independent allows you the freedom to spend time working on individualized creative projects that you are most passionate about.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://stevenchavez.la/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenchavez.la/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenechavez/
- Other: Photography Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenechavez/