Thinkspace presents a video tour and opening recap from this past Saturday’s reception for our April exhibitions. Many thanks to Ezra, Caroline, Delisha and Willem for believing in our team and delivering such strong bodies of work. Big love to all that came through to support!!!
April 1 – April 22, 2023
Thinkspace Projects 4207 W. Jefferson Blvd + 4217 W. Jefferson Blvd. Los Angeles, California 90016
Thinkspace is pleased to present Delisha ‘Sweet Dreams & Beautiful Nightmares.‘ The “BEAUTIFUL MONSTER” acts as a security blanket to help us navigate life’s problems and tune out the harshness of the world. It’s easier to tune out the judgement, the abuse, the neglect, and doubt while wrapped in the comfort of scarves. A BEAUTIFUL MONSTER manifested from a cold world, and is also a reminder to embrace fear, because you may find comfort in uncovering what’s really there.
Our interview with Delisha shares her rituals to stimulate her creative flow, her creative influences, and how she likes to enjoy her downtime.
What themes were you exploring in this body of work?
Mostly the idea of fear, the fear of individuality, the fear of another persons perception of you. I wanted to tell a story from three different perspectives; from the perspective of the viewer, the subjects in the paintings, and of the Beautiful Monster’s. The viewer sees a weird creepy thing, but inside the monster there’s an innocence there. The painting’s subjects ignore the Beautiful Monster all together.
Did you have a piece that was particularly challenging?
I feel the theme was more challenging. To create a monster that was fun but also a little creepy and weird, that really encapsulated the creative spirit was the most challenging. It definitely came from my own experiences with social anxiety of being called “different”.
What does a day in the studio look like for you?
A typical day in the studio, for me? Lots and lots of work! I’m usually working on 4-5 projects at a time. Which is dope, because I remember a time when things weren’t as busy. But, a typical day is VERY focused from 9am-5pm.
How do you structure your days?
I’m learning to have 3 days in one day. I split my days in thirds so that I’m sure to have personal time, and to keep my interests on whatever I’m creating at that time.
Do you have any rituals that help you tap into a creative flow?
This answer goes back to timing and planning my days right. Personal time is very important to me so I’m usually up before the sun rises to meditate, medicate, and meal prep (make lunch for my daughter).
What is your most favorite and least favorite part of the creative process?
Showing my work is nerve wrecking. I get immortalized in my thoughts, so when I show to the public I’m wondering if they can feel what I felt, when making them.
Who are some of your creative influences?
Creators: Bill Watterson and Jim Henson Artists: Frida Kahlo, Jean Mitchell Basquiat Photographers: James Van Der Zee and Annie Leibovitz. Writers: Ayn Rand and Encyclopedias.
Why do they inspire you?
They inspire me for their passion. How they truly lived, and are living, through what they’ve created. The encyclopedia has always been a staple, now that’s been replace with YouTube lol. Just as inspiring.
If you could have any skill or topic downloaded into your brain, what would you want to be able to do/ be an expert at?
Everything. I love learning new things/skills.
What do you hope viewers take away or experience while viewing your work?
A need to see more!
How do you like to enjoy your time outside of the studio?
Spending time with my daughter, with friends or dreaming.
Do you celebrate the completion of a body of work?
Sometimes. Sometimes the reward is to do nothing.
Exhibition on view April 1 – April 22, 2023 at: Thinkspace Projects 4207 W. Jefferson Blvd. Los Angeles, California 90016
CAROLINE WEAVER A Gummy Wormhole In The Sugar Dimension
DELISHA Sweet Dreams & Beautiful Nightmares
WILLEM HOEFFNAGEL Similarities
Opening Reception: Saturday, April 1 from 6-10pm * First 150 people through the doors will receive a free t-shirt from Ezra Brown
On view April 1 – April 22, 2023
Thinkspace Projects 4207 W. Jefferson Blvd + 4217 W. Jefferson Blvd. Los Angeles, California 90016
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Gallery I:
EZRA BROWN Trying To Keep It Together
Thinkspace Projects is honored to present ’Trying To Keep It Together’, our debut solo exhibition with Ezra Brown. In this exhibit, Ezra encapsulates his many experiences, emotions, and feelings using his character ‘Happy the Clown’ as a reflection of himself to portray his message. His character, ‘Happy’, is often portrayed as the opposite of his name in Ezra’s work, as his image is instead used as a way to cope with events in the world around us today. Ezra encourages the viewer to use his work as a device to tap into their own feelings, and connect on an emotional level.
“My creative process is really simple, I feel something sad and I paint and vice versa. Creative ideas usually come from personal emotions. So in reality I’m sharing my feelings with the viewer through my paintings. It’s sort of a visual diary of my personal thoughts.’ – Ezra Brown
Artist Bio: Ezra Brown is currently based in San Diego, California, where he mainly creates works with acrylics on canvas, as well as some occasional woodworking. He was inspired by his father, also an artist, and felt encouraged to pursue his own artistic career as he studied at the Academy of Art, San Francisco. He hopes to inspire all generations with his art, which he creates from his personal encounters and struggles, encouraging the viewer to relate to these shared experiences.
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Gallery II:
CAROLINE WEAVER A Gummy Wormhole In The Sugar Dimension
Show Statement: Your eyes land on a tossed wrapper, the stars align and you’re down the wormhole. Back in time, where 20 bucks lasted all night and proximity to your crush was life and death.
It’s not nostalgia, more like a Time Dialation Meditation from a made-up religion for Fatalists.
Artist Bio: Caroline Weaver is a self taught oil painter that has been working in and around the Americas for the past decade. Exhibiting in cities and spots along the way such as Portland, Calgary, San Luis Potosi, San Francisco, Vancouver, Montreal and Baja. Countries, regions, cities, towns, neighbourhoods all taking turns to colour her work. Currently residing on the Sunshine Coast, she is attempting to analyze our arcs of actuality and working to expand her view of the forest floor through multiple disciplines.
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Gallery III:
DELISHA Sweet Dreams & Beautiful Nightmares
Show Statement: The “BEAUTIFUL MONSTER” acts as a security blanket to help us navigate life’s problems and tune out the harshness of the world. It’s easier to tune out the judgement, the abuse, the neglect, and doubt while wrapped in the comfort of scarves.
A BEAUTIFUL MONSTER manifested from a cold world, and is also a reminder to embrace fear, because you may find comfort in uncovering what’s really there.
“It’s a cold world, you better bundle up!” – Freeway
Artist Bio: Delisha currently resides on the Westside of Chicago where she creates paintings of child-like perspectives and narratives. Inspired by Bill Watterson’s comics, and the late great Dr. Seuss, Delisha definitely does it for the kids. She speaks of their dreams and nightmares, their potential and their sadness, and would rather view them as “little people sorting out their emotions”, and not just as “children”. Her imagery of children and toys speaks of those experiences hidden in the adult psyche in detail; evoking imagination in us all.
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Gallery IV:
WILLEM HOEFFNAGEL Similarities
Presented in collaboration with League OTO
Show Statement: “In ‘Similarities’, I draw inspiration from the movements of others, gazing at strangers and those I know, running around my town, or even feeling overwhelmed and the thoughts that feeling brings to my mind. The figures are all seen in different states; some calm, some mid movement. It’s subjects like that, that most move me in paintings I enjoy myself. It suits my personality, I don’t search for more meaning in my works, I look for similarity between the figures and me, or us. For my viewers to see themselves and their everyday lives in my work.”
Artist Bio: Willem Hoeffnagel is a painter from the Netherlands. Born in 1995 in Arnhem, he has always been interested in drawing and painting from an early age. After leaving a bachelor in entrepreneurship in Amsterdam, Willem enrolled in ArtEZ Zwolle to study illustration design. During that time he focused on his personal style while also experimenting with new techniques and ideas.
However, Illustration didn’t end up being his strong pointand he left in year 3 out of 4 but working on his art everyday helped with developing as an artist in general. Soon after that he started to work on his painting full time, to grow in the medium he loves the most.
The recognizable figures that feature in Willem’s work have been close to him for more than a decade. Using the figures as a place holder for a person, whether himself or someone else, it allows him to portray a scene or part of a small story to the viewer without putting to much attention to who it’s meant to be.
