Welcome back to Artbeat Radio! in this episode, EPI student Carlos Arredondo will ask EPI art instructors Dezcjon and Marissa some questions about the most recent exhibition, the CORE show. The CORE show was a big deal for EPI service users; it was the first show for those who are participating in in-person services to get to work with their peers and instructors on all pieces together in person. Collectively, both in-person and virtually, EPI submitted a total of eight pieces for the show. We hope you enjoy listening to Carlos Arredondo interview Dezcjon and Marissa on the CORE show process.

Collaborators on this episode: service users Greco Ancona, Carlos Arredondo, Emilio Lopez; staff Dezcjon, Marissa, and Morgan.

Intro music by Artbeat Radio staff

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Morgan: On this episode of Artbeat Radio, EPI student Carlos Arredondo will ask EPI art instructors Dezcjon and Marissa some questions about our most recent exhibition, the CORE show.

Carlos A: How did you and my peers decide what projects we would work on?

Dezcjon: So with the CORE show we, me and Marissa, we went about giving the clients creative control being this was one of the first shows we got to prepare for in person. We wanted to see what they were interested in showing and expressing. So we sat down with them [for] about a week just brainstorming on pieces they wanted to continue to work on; like some pieces from before the pandemic we hadn't got to finish, as well as new ideas. And just some collaborations too, like some clients wanted to work with friends they hadn’t seen in a while.

Marissa: We decided first by making.. We worked as a group and then we asked the students what they want to decide as the title and the theme for that show.

Carlos A: Tell me about the final pieces that [were] accepted?

Dezcjon: It was cool to see some of the final pieces come together. The students knew what they wanted in mind. Some like Carlos, Carlos A., made it clear he wanted to work with Carlos C. They collaborated together to make artwork called "Sunshine and Flores.” It started off with a piece Carlos C. did back in 2018 using some yellow and red paint, making a very warm background, but it looked like he hadn’t finished it maybe. So Carlos [A.] had saw that and was asking about the upcoming show and if he could work with Carlos C. And they ended up making "Sunshine and Flores” which has the warm sun rays, some yellow and reds, look like probably by hand, smeared in the background, and then Carlos A. came back with some acrylic paint markers and created a very happy sun with some cool blue flowers at the bottom. And it was cool to see pieces like that come together.

Another final piece that was cool to see come together was Mr. happy face by Greco. Greco was very hyped to create a solo piece for the show. And he was one of the clients who actually got to visit the gallery with me during the pandemic and he expressed how much he enjoyed being there. And when I asked him about you know, what kind of stuff he wanted to show in the new gallery space he expressed you know, he wanted to show something that showed how happy he was to be back at program with his friends. Which ended up with him coming up his piece Mr. Happy Face. Which, the background he painted with some green paint and blue paint with brushes, and then he actually used paint markers for the orange spots. And then as far as his smiling happy looking character Mr. Happy Face, Greco drew him out with paint markers and then added the details like his hair and smiling face last to make it pop.

Marissa: The final title of [one of] the show [pieces] that was accepted was “The Red Jelly” by Daniel and [in collaboration with] his family. The family decided to draw what they [all] want and they asked Daniel first, and they gave him a binary option what he wants to draw. Like it’s about the marine animal so they asked Daniel if it is like jellyfish or like whale and he raised his hands to choose the red jelly.

Carlos A: Tell me about your favorite piece(s) from the show?

Dezcjon: I would have to say all the pieces my favorite. This was the first show we got to prepare for in person with like, the majority of the clients being here to work on hands-on. I aIso got to engage with some of the clients that's virtual and it was cool just to see up close and personal like everybody like really preparing for a show. Opposed to like, us talking via zoom and different things but never getting to see the actual work. It was cool to just to be able to help the clients that was here, you know, fine tune whatever idea they wanted to put onto their artwork and canvas.

Marissa: All the pieces for the show by my favorite is the one I worked with [on] Daniel because I learned more about Daniel and his family. Especially [since] I came from TAP II and it’s my first time to work with Daniel. The piece is about jellyfish and Daniel colored it with red, which is one of his favorite color aside from purple.

Carlos A: Tell me about the process for Mountain, Flowers, and Lines?

Dezcjon: So,the artwork “Mountain, Flowers, and Lines,” that was that was a piece I was happy to see in the show. Some history on that piece - that was something the students started back in 2020, right before the pandemic, right when I got hired, that was one of the first collaborative pieces I got to put together with clients. So honestly some time passed, and our director ended up finding it at program and asked me about it, and we had the idea of getting it back going. We actually sent it to Carlos [A.] for a little bit while we were virtual, and he started off and added some more to it. And then he was also you know, he expressed being excited just that we still had it, hadn’t lost it. And I you know, I let him know like we value you guys’ work so know for sure we keep the stuff archived and stored for you. But to see them finish it and actually get it into the show when we returned back to program, that was pretty cool. Cool to see.

Carlos A: What what what was it like to work for the show in-person and virtual?

Dezcjon: So the main difference between working on the show virtual and in person honestly just being able to help clients more hands-on. Whether it be like doing some hand over hand assistance if they trying to get something precise or just instructing them you know how to get their idea across. And doing class is virtually you can still help the clients and for sure I say that’s better than nothing to still be their moral support and get an idea of what they working on. But in person it definitely I think benefits both the instructor and the clients because its right in front of you um as far as scale, as far as detail, colors, you can really help them you know, thrive. And it's just good to see all the clients excited about painting and these collaborations, so that’s also another benefit I say of being in person. But I think we still also have to strive to do the best we can to make virtual you know as meaningful and pleasurable as possible because those clients want to support and be in shows and do the best work they can too.

Marissa: I like both uh virtual and in person teaching. In person I was able to get to know the rest of the students that I don’t know especially [since] I came from TAP II. And for virtual I learned more about the technology and it was enjoyable knowing all the techniques and then how to you know facilitate the zoom. Everything is about technology and I like it.

Carlos A: Which one [was] more more enjoyable? And why?

Dezcjon: Um, that’s a hard one. I for sure had a great experience virtual because it allowed me to get like to know more homes and families and caregivers for some of our clients and it was an experience for all of us that was new; a lot of digital artwork. But for sure working in person would have to be my favorite because one we got a lot more murals to do. It’s good to see the clients’ smiling faces and the energy they have with doing all these new things outside of art like seeing, like them excited about art seeing them excited about drama, music, it’s just different and it feels good to be back in person. So for sure how to say in person my favorite.

Marissa: [Both] virtual and on-site. On-site you get to know the students and aside from getting to know the students you’re going to work more of the arts. And you are able to practice all the skills you are learning in the school. And on virtual both of you are learning about technology.

Outro music by Artbeat Radio staff

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