Erin D. Garcia is a Los Angeles based fine artist & musician whose work is instantly recognizable for its purity of vision and execution. Having been first introduced to this work thru showings at (the now-shuttered) THIS Gallery in Highland Park, I was quickly drawn to its immediacy and boldness. What began as early monochromatic “stack” pieces, Garcia’s work has evolved to include a wide spectrum of colors, elements and variations. While a degree of theory does apply to the various permutations of his forms and how they work together, its vibrancy (and oftentimes playfulness) transcends any formulas that may underlie it.
Sitting with Garcia at this studio in Silverlake, CA you can’t help but be struck by the piles of sketches and work that occupy the space. They serve as proof of concept. His mind is continually at work…plotting, conceptualizing and ultimately: creating.
Erin was kind enough to answer a few questions regarding his process for The Poetry of Living. We thank him for his time.
I have seen some of your Instagram photos that show your sketchbook and I wonder how much concepts of geometry, mathematics or even architecture might play into your work? Can you describe a bit of your creative process?
I don’t really see my drawings as dealing with geometry or mathematics in a serious way, I am using shapes and curves but they’re mostly intuitive and don’t originate from any geometric formula. The closest I get to mathematics is my use of permutations and repetition but I believe that comes more from a certain rhythmic sensibility and a growing interest to show all possible outcomes of a given arrangement.
You have done some very impressive large scale pieces in a wide variety of locations. How does working in that way differ from more traditional mediums like paper or canvas? Do you have a preference?
I don’t really have a preference as far as scale or medium. My favorite part of the process is establishing the concept of each piece, from there it’s just selecting a technique that works best to showcase the ideas. That being said, I do really enjoy working on a large scale and find the pieces really satisfying when completed.
Do you have a dream location of where you could create a mural?
I’d really like to create a piece for the lobby of the Hammer Museum, the exterior of an entire building, and the freeway tunnel by my house where the 2 and the 5 meet.
I know you were in Japan recently. Did you find the reaction to your art any different overseas as compared to the U.S.?
The reaction didn’t seem too different, still very supportive and welcoming.
Its been interesting to watch your progression, from single color stacks to multi colored to a detailed exploration of how certain colors/forms work together in repetition and even down the sheer scale of your work at times. Where do you see things headed?
I recently worked on a piece for Red Bull; 4-4-4, 4 Elements in 4 Colors with 4 Notes, It was the first time I’ve used the same concepts in my drawings to write music. With 4-4-4 the “elements” weren’t just color and shape but also included note and octave. I’ve been digging into this idea of defining musical and visual elements as well as transferring drawing concepts to other non-visual mediums.
Do you feel there is much of a difference in how you creatively approach Fine Art vs. Music?
Recently the creative approaches have been feeling pretty similar. I sit down, find ideas that I’m interested in working on, and organize the information to best relate the concept to the listener / viewer.
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Photos & Video by: Devin Sarno
