Ashley Mendoza Vargas
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name: Ashley Mendoza Vargas
age: 26
location: San Francisco, CA
Where are you from?
I was born in Salinas, CA, but grew up in Los Banos, CA. After graduating high school, my boyfriend and I left Los Banos for Fresno, CA. Later, we moved to Irvine, CA, and now live in San Francisco, CA. I am an undergrad at San Francisco State University majoring in Interior Design.
What did you want to be when you were a kid?
I wanted to be an inventor. I wanted to create something new. I also wanted to be a fashion designer for some time. My mom wanted me to study nursing, but I've always wanted to create things.
What inspires you?
My art derives from Mexican and Chicano culture. I gather inspiration from everyday life. My family taught me to be creative and make what little we had go a long way. My dad and brother taught me to appreciate organic shapes and nature. I enjoy seeing how my dad and brother express themselves through their art. As a child, I liked watching my dad create beautiful pieces of furniture from tree remains he would collect while working as an arborist. He is precise with his work and prefers to use few tools. My favorite memories are of all my dad's projects around the house. I was always the first to volunteer to help. My favorite project to work on with my dad was repainting my room, improving furniture placement throughout our home, and creating and designing multipurpose furniture pieces. My Mom's creativity in the kitchen inspires me; she likes to experiment with different ingredients but sticks to traditional cooking techniques and standards; she makes the best pozole. My Mom's cooking reminds me of art because it allows the use of various mediums and invites creativity. Mexican culture taught me to appreciate simplicity, functionality, and scarcity.
What medium do you work with?
I like to paint on canvas. I usually paint with acrylic and oil paint. I enjoy using different mediums to alter the shape of paint.
How would you describe your style?
My painting style is abstract, contemporary, and intuitive. My art is dark, gloomy, bright, or monochromatic. Many shapes don't make sense, and you can usually spot a human figure in each painting. My art resembles cities, nature, and life in general.
What is the purpose or goal of your art?
My art aims to showcase the unimaginable and lots of different shapes. I express my emotions through my work.
