Exhibiting Artist Interview Xavier Valenzuela Oro Valley July 2023

Speakers: Xavier "Lulu's Arte" Valenzuela , Painter

Xavier "Lulu's Arte" Valenzuela : Well, I've been fortunate to showcase my artwork twice with Artists & Makers. The first time, I don't remember a theme. I think it was just a grand opening and I was a featured artist and it was during the heart of a pandemic. I remember this. Artists & Makers were nice enough to make a mini documentary of me when I was barely up and coming. And it was even when you see the videos or even old picture, you see that we're wearing some of the masks, the masks. And to me that first time showcasing my artwork that took a unique turn because it was such a chaotic time for not just only me, but for everybody all around the world. And it gave me a positive outlook during such a horrific event. I mean, during that very moment in time. But I was a featured artist and I think it was December 2020. The last one was about a month and a half ago, I think, and it was my first solo show. Once again, thank you so much Artists & Makers for everything you guys have done for me, and the theme was “Lulu’s Arte” because everybody who knows me, knows that I have, my name is Javier Venezuela, but my mom passed away about five years ago, I think, I mean, just time flies. And I dedicated all my artwork and all my, my artistic skills to her. So I decided to call it “Lulu’s Arte”. So it was my very first show and, and they were more than happy to bring me back and give me my first solo show and just show all my artwork. And yeah, the thing pretty much finally introducing my thing, my thing as to what it is, my artwork and what pushes me.

Xavier "Lulu's Arte" Valenzuela : My favorite part, showcasing at Artists & Makers that has to be, just the experience, because what people don't understand is that I didn't think it was gonna get this far to like, say galleries and, and just meeting professional artists and artists that have been doing it all their lives. Believe it or not, I didn't have the patience for painting. I had done pencil for drawing. But when my mom passed, I really wanted to like just clear my mind and I started painting and it just took a life of its own. And when I first met Britten, I met some of the people at Artists & Makers that I just love the diversity, because I felt like as though all my entire start from, from being an artist and painting, I was like on the outside looking in. And everybody approached me with open arms and gave me advice. It was just a wonderful experience because till this day, I'm, I mean, I'm kind of surprised how far it's gone but how like people have, like professional artists have done it all their life, how they accepted me with open arms and to this day, I keep in contact with a lot of them. And it was just like I said, the diversity, the the way that we can learn from each other's culture and yet we don't judge one another. We're just there for the art and just that wholesome experience. So that's been my favorite, diversity and, and just, you know, that is constantly learning new things and having meeting new people, new artists. So,

Xavier "Lulu's Arte" Valenzuela : In my work. Well, I used to be good at just pencil drawing. I always had that artistic side of me, but I never had the patience for painting. So when the painting came around, I just did, I, I mean the work I just did, I actually mean it, I just started blending color, started doing and just whatever came out for the first few times, I really hated my painting because I didn't feel as though I was like living up to the potential of like what other artists would expect from me. And till I started noticing that people were connecting to my artwork. So that kind of led me towards, you know, what I'm doing something good. As for like the approach that I take it, or who inspires me. I mean, like I said, I'm still new to this, but I heard some lady actually say that my artwork looks like stained glass because I do like the vibrant colors. I do like mixing a lot of these colors and, and I, and it comes to a point that I would, I will always paint with dim lighting because when I first started it was in my room and I, I had some dim lighting. So I think what, what ended up happening by accident is that I was forcing the colors. So when it hit the light, surprise, surprise, like it was so bright, but my, I wasn't trying to make it as bright, but I think it just took a life form of its own. But, you know, as more I approach this technique and the way I paint, I, I think I've already come to the terms that, you know, what color is my path. And so I tend to do everything as bright as I can.