Meet an Artist Monday: Looking Back at 2020


Tom Everhart in his Venice studio with Andy's Tsunami (2016) and Sleeping Beauty Bubble Bath (2017)Miwa Matreyek (Photo by Matthieu Young)Carole Silverstein (Photo by Julio Sims)Macey LipmanShizu SaldamandoDarryl Curran, Harvard-Westlake student workshop, 2012 (Courtesy of the artist)Michele AsselinBrent Estabrook at James Wright Gallery (Photo by Trixie Textor/Guest of a Guest)Ave PildasCalida RawlesSula Bermudez-SilvermanAllison M. KeatingAnge Cox (photo by Kinsey | @kinsey_dp)Donna IshamAlabaster PizzoRenée A. FoxStas OrlovskiLaura KimptonAmy Kaps (Photo by Miguel Perez)Patty Chang (Photo by David Kelley)Asher Hartman in 2020 (Photo by Ian Byers-Gamber)Joshua Abarbanel, May 2020 (Photo: Stacey Ravel Abarbanel)Rory DevineLaurie Lipton (Photo by EMS)Edwin Vasquez, Light Refractions (MOAH)Karol B.Jennybird Alcantara with "Reveries"Eric Thaller with Cellular Breakdown, Legos (2019)Nina PalombaDani Dodge during her 2019 residency at the Prime Desert Woodland Preserve in Lancaster, CACasey Kauffmann in front of her piece at the USC Roski Open Studios 2020. IRL, 2019, 291 iPhone collages printed on pvc with 9 GIFs playing on mini iPads, 8 x 11 ftCarla Jay HarrisAustin Irving shooting in ShenzhenFrancisco PalomaresAriel Vargassal (Photo by Daniel Broadhurst)Miriam KruishoopBettina Hubby (Photo by Steven Rimlinger)Andrea Marie BreilingKori Newkirk (Photo by Sharon Suh)Dorian Wood (Photo by Max Fleury, courtesy of the artist)Christine YuanGuillermo BertRick RobinsonKulov, Self-Portrait as a Mug Shot (with Mask), 2020MIchael Grecco in 1978Sharon KaganMarch Avery in the Studio, March 31, 2004 (Photo by Philip G. Cavanaugh)Marisabel BazanJoseph Gerges at work at Judson Studios (Photo by Kyle J. Mickelson)Erin YoshiChelsea Wong

When we started the Meet an Artist Monday feature a couple of years ago, we thought of it as an essential aspect of the storytelling energy I wanted to bring to the arts section. A regular, lowkey opportunity for artists to introduce themselves to L.A. in their own words — as many or few words as they liked. Even though (or perhaps because) they all get the same questions, the unique personalities and surprising anecdotes, eclectic interests and mediums, and true diversity of thought and personality that animates our art world has a chance to shine through.

For me there was a special value to the series this year of pandemic; as it also served to highlight the resilience, innovative, and deep power of the arts to nurture human connections even in a time of physical separation. Thank you to everyone who has been part of it so far, and thank you in advance to everyone we will get to meet in the new year. I love these check-ins and I’ll never stop doing them.

For some light and inspirational holiday reading, catch up on the whole archive (it’s up to about 120 profiles now!) and get ready to meet more artists again, starting bright and early next Monday.

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