Dig In Magazine Interview with
Artist, Carly Ivan Garcia

Carly Ivan Garica is a neo-abstract artist based in the San Francisco Bay Area's Marin County region. His artwork will be featured in the upcoming Ed Harris film "Touching Home" and you can expect to see his artwork everywhere from Los Angeles to New York. In 2009, he participated in two Miami art shows. One of which he showed with the amazingly talented Lawrence Gartel, the famous digital art computer legend and another within Miami's Art Basel at Graffiti Gone Global. I caught up with Carly a few days before his art show at Berkeley's Pueblo Nuevo Gallery for "Love Pistols in Color."

You can view more of Carly Ivan Garcia's work at: www.carlyivangarcia.com

Dig In Magazine: Hey Carly! How's it going? Thanks so much for talkin' to Dig In Magazine! Busy?

Carly Ivan Garcia: It's goin' really good. Yeah, I just got back from the CFI. I did the walk through and they're gonna give me the whole space for the red carpet...at the gala and it's already sold out. It's like a month in advance.

DIM: What was your first encounter with art and when was it that you realized that you wanted to be an artist?

CIG: My first encounter that I ever had with art was very early...first kindergarten class. I always had an appreciation for art for just as far back as I can remember. I had dyslexia so things were hard for me like with spelling and things like that. But I always kind a excelled with painting and always knew that I was kind of good at it. I always thought I was an artist from like an early, early age. I just felt that I wasn't sure at what level of an artist I wanted to be. As far as professional artist, commercial artist or gallery artist, I just wasn't sure...

DIM: Did you go to art school or are you self-taught?

CIG: I'm definitely a self-taught artist. But I take to studying...like people that know me, they know that I'm pretty intense about my art...it's a passion in me and it burns. I've painted everyday for years and years. I went to college and took painting classes, but [with] the classes...I was painting at my house at the same time and I would start the class and I would stop going, because I'd be so focused on my paintings...my own paintings. When I was younger, I always just wanted to paint different...and that's how I got my style today. It's kind of eclectic [and] different...kind of my own, original art.

DIM: How would you describe your art or artistic style?

CIG: I would describe my artistic style as vividly colorful and texturally really sound. I do multi-layered, textured paintings that take time and there's like paintings in the painting. Every time you look at it, you pick up something new or you see something different in the painting. That's always what I strive for, as well as trying to make the painting feel alive so that it can spark something in somebody...an emotion...so even if it's to one person not the best looking picture to a different person I've learned that it can really inspire them. So I just try and create what I'm trying to create.

DIM: So, your artwork has been described as neo-abstract right?

CIG: Yes.

DIM: Very cool! How did your art career get started?

CIG: Well, as far as professionally, I guess I was painting all the time and my house was stuffed with paintings and I had a close friend of mine who was a motivational person to me in my life and he was like "Dude, what are you doing? Look around. You need to sell your art! You need to get your art in front of people. You need to like show your talent." And it inspired me and I wanted to prove that I could do it. So I sold like fifteen paintings in two weeks. And they weren't like for a cheap price or anything like that. It was amazing to me that that could happen. And then I was bummed, because I was really attached to my paintings.

DIM: You didn't want to leave them...to be separated from your paintings...

CIG: Exactly. So I had separation anxiety disorder, you know...I like to live around my art as well as sell it. And I learned to paint more...To me my art is like realism. I never try to paint a perfect picture...I always try to keep it [so that] nothing is perfect. If you look at my work I purposely make things perspectively different...You have to really look at it. I kind of think that I'm like an artist's artist. A lot of artists appreciate my art. I've been told that. That makes me feel good! That gives me confidence. My peers, you know?!
One of the first paintings that I sold was a homage to Jean-Michel Basquiat...The piece was a classic piece that took me six months to create. A lot of my art takes a long time to create, because it [has] layers. So, I live in my art. I have paintings everywhere around me. And that helped me. When they came to possibly put my paintings in a movie they walked into my apartment and it was stuffed with paintings everywhere...that were on walls. So, it was overwhelming...and from there that was what guaranteed me that [the movie]. It's my painting style to create a lot of work at one time. I don't like to just focus on one piece. I can work on like twelve paintings at one time. So I try to paint stuff that works, like a story that I'm trying to tell.

DIM: When you say "they" walked into your house, are you talking about the filmmakers?

CIG: Yes, and Brad Dourif, the actor in the movie, he was the one that came to the house and made the final decision, because he was playing that role. And so they used some of my work, which was like hearts. I like to bring like a positive energy with my art. So, I love to write the word "love" with typography...Whatever the subject matter is, I like to keep painting hearts...like hope. My art never comes from a place of despair. It comes from a place of uplifting and it comes from a place of wanting more, to be better.

DIM: I read somewhere that the filmmakers of [the film] "Touching Home" are from Marin. How did you hook up with them and get your pieces featured in this film?

CIG: The thing is [that] a lot of stuff that happens with my art is that I didn't really hook it up. I went to high school with the Miller brothers and they knew that I was an artist. And they called me, because they had gotten this movie all together. And Logan Miller actually really liked my art from a young age. So, he was also quintessential in my career as Logan the director of the movie...he actually really liked my art and it was a good thing. So, I do know I've been blessed to be around a lot of people that actually care about me and I care about them. And that's the focus.

DIM: So, there's ten pieces of your artwork being featured in the film? Did you meet Ed Harris?

CIG: Yes. I did meet Ed Harris. He's a really nice guy. And I got to hang out with him on the set a bit. April 29th is the gala. It's already sold out. And then the next night is the first theatrical release and it's going to get national distribution.

DIM: Where else has your artwork been featured?

CIG: I showed work in Miami this year at two shows. For one show, which was during but separate from Art Basel, I showed with the amazing and talented digital art computer legend Lawrence Gartel. In addition to that show, I participated in the installation show at Graffiti Gone Global at Art Basel. And I have shown my art at a lot of places in Marin. The thing that's different about my art is that I've shown my work at a lot of places, but I've also curated a lot of shows like at AT&T Ballpark [in San Francisco for Bookstock in 2009]...It was one of the biggest live painting events on the west coast last year...I've just been really focused on trying to stay out of the box. I do, do gallery work, but I also think it is good to be creative and to try to be out of the box when it comes to art and selling art.

DIM: Who are the artists that have inspired you and in what ways did they inspire you?

CIG: I like Picasso. People that inspire me are people in history that have created a lot of work and are prolific and can actually produce a lot of high quality work. And I just think the process to me is really cool. Picasso has always been an influence on me...I've heard people say that I paint like Picasso, which to me I just laugh at...then I'll hear that I paint like Basquiat and it's just funny because I've always painted the same and I've just kind of stuck to what I do and keep it original and bring my own flavor. I think it's amazing if they say that, but people that have produced a lot of work and were able to make a career out of it are people in history that have inspired me. Kandinsky inspires me. Willem de Kooning, because of his color pallet. I just love the big paintings, the New York style paintings. That really inspires me. Just the whole idea of the international art market. That inspires me. Just being an American artist and being competitive with all the other artists in the world. All these things collectively inspire me. But usually I get my inspiration from myself....I don't really look out for any one artist that motivates me. My art comes from within. I tell my friends and tease [and say] my art is voodoo, because when I work I'm kind of like in a trance state...like a meditation. Carlito can get into the zone!

DIM: What brings you to that point?

CIG: What inspires me is to produce the highest quality work that I can. So, I'm always striving to better what I've done in the past...It's something that is internal.

DIM: So, I know you have new representation in New York. Can you tell me a little bit about that? Who is representing you?

CIG: It's called Tinca Arts in New York. I met her at Art Basel Miami this year. When I went out there I had two big shows. I did a show with Robert [Harris] and Armo at Graffiti Gone Global...Tinca Arts hooks up galleries, as well as getting private collectors to come to my studio to buy pieces....as well as setting up big events. There's a couple big things planned for me to do in New York in the summertime...I'm showing work now in Santa Rosa, Oakland, San Francisco, two galleries in Marin...It's been really cool, because I feel that I've been really getting accepted as an artist...I want to be a leader in the movement of art. I don't just want to be an artist. I want to be someone who actually effects change.

DIM: What are some of the business aspects of art that you need to deal with?

CIG: There's a lot of ‘em. You gotta be able to persevere and you gotta be able to have a tough chin. You have to be able to truly believe in your art. And you have to have a clear vision of what you're trying to do. And also [have] a voice for what your art is trying to say.

DIM: This is kind of off the subject, but what interests do you have outside of art?

CIG: None.

DIM: [Laugh]

CIG: I'm looking on finding some new interests, like girls, but lately I've been really focused. It's at the point where I could do a show every week. I don't know if I do a show every week, but it feels that way sometimes. Like you're doing a lot of events and you keep pushing. You're creating events and putting on a lot of shows...ten, twelve of the top artists in the Bay Area. I've learned a lot from art. Art has given me a lot of insight on business, because if you don't have a business sense with art it's pretty much gonna to be a wrap for ya. So, it's really important to read your books.

DIM: What advice can you give to aspiring artists?

CIG: Never give up. And you always have to paint. Stay true to what you're doing, which is painting and everything else will find its course. If it's meant to happen, whatever you're anticipating to happen, it will either happen or won't. But the key is that you've gotta stick to your craft and that's gotta be the key thing...you know...accelerating your own art and that's what's really going to make the difference. Because if you look at it, the artists that get the most respect...are the artists, in my opinion, that are the most talented, the most driven and have the business sense to be able to keep it going. And you have to have a hard chin, because not everybody sees what you see.

DIM: I know you have a lot going on right now, what can we expect from Carly Ivan Garcia in the future?

CIG: This April 23rd I'll be spotlighted in Room Room Gallery in Marin [California]. Also, on April 29th I am the featured artist at the sold out California Film Institute "Touching Home" World Theatrical Premiere & Gala. My art is in this amazing new movie starring Ed Harris. And I will also be showing art the weekend of April 29th at Hanson Galleries in Sausalito. You can expect to see me booking shows in New York and LA.

DIM: Nice! Best of luck with your artwork in the future!