Interview with Ezra Brown for ‘Trying To Keep It Together’ | Exhibition on view Saturday April 1 – April 22, 2023

Thinkspace Projects is honored to present Ezra BrownTrying 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

Our interview with Ezra Brown shares his most challenging piece, which crime shows he loves to listen to to tap into his creative flow, and which artists had a really deep impact on his art career.

What themes were you exploring in this body of work? Did you have a piece that was particularly challenging?

For this body of work I really wanted to tell a story of a failed relationship and how one deals with the emotional rollercoaster.

Yes this was the first time I actually had someone fabricate something for me. The piece is called ‘I’m sorry’ and it depicts my character having his spirit leave his body. This piece was originally going to be a huge wood cutout but then my friend Carmen Acosta had mentioned to me why not try making the spirit portion a see-through piece that is separate from my characters body? That way it would give it a little more depth and really convey my message. So we bounced around with how it would look and finally I sent out the digital rendering to get fabricated. I honestly was nervous because as an artist you have a certain vision and when you work outside of your circle it’s scary, you never know if that person or company is going to encapsulate that same feeling you have as an artist. I just want to give a huge shout out to Pretty In Plastic they really did an amazing job of capturing the look and feel of what I was going for.

What does a day in the studio look like for you? How do you structure your days?

My days are really unpredictable, my studio is located in my house and honestly sometimes it’s hard to stay focused. I have a 17 year old daughter that I take to school in the morning and then I have to pick her up in the afternoon. So trying to cram in as much time to work on my projects is really challenging not to mention the fact that going back to bed or just lounging on the couch and watching tv has not crossed my mind once or twice. Keeping a schedule helps me really stay on task and my wife also making sure I stick to that schedule is a plus she truly is my boss and runs a really tight ship.

Do you have any rituals that help you tap into a creative flow?

Funny enough I love listening to old crime shows from the 1930’s like ‘Yours Truly Johnny Dollar’ or ‘Rocky Jordan.’ Honestly I myself don’t know how that all started but I just love the way those actors voices sound and the faint crackling of the radio just soothes me. If I’m not listening to those shows then I’m listening to jazz music it really amazes me how beautiful that music is. I’m mean it tells a story but in sound like take for instance Bill Evans playing those somber notes on Blue Green or Doris Day hitting the perfect pitch on ‘Again’ it really makes me feel a type of way that I can honestly say without a doubt my work comes to life.

What is your most favorite and least favorite part of the creative process?

Coming up with the idea for an art piece is what I love. Most of my artwork deals with a lot of emotional struggles and really capturing that feeling is so important to me. Once that’s all said and done then comes the hard part putting that idea onto paper or canvas and bringing it to life. Raw emotions are tough because people know what some sad looks like but making that saddens turn into a melancholic whirlwind is another thing. I really want to dig into peoples own feelings and that takes a whole lot of energy. When you see my work I want you saying to yourself man I can really relate to this.

Who are some of your creative influences? Why do they inspire you?

My father was my first creative influence, as a child I would sit and watch him paint these beautiful landscapes. I would just marvel at how effortlessly he would create these pieces. As I got older and started exploring my own artistic style I began to look at the works of Windsor Mcay, Ub Iwerks, Max Fleischer, Al Columbia, and of course Walt Disney. All of these artists have had a really deep impact on my career as a creative individual. The craftsman is very evident in their work. Quite honestly they pioneered the way for a lot of the cartoons we see and love today. So I always have strived to have that same level of passion and dedication in my pieces as well.

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?

Learning how to speak different languages. I speak Spanish and English but I just feel if I could learn every language I could connect to people on a much more personal level. Especially working with galleries overseas this would be a big help when it comes to setting up shows or even doing projects. For me taking the time to understand someone’s native tongue just shows that person that you truly respect them and want to make them feel comfortable with you.

What do you hope viewers take away or experience while viewing your work?

Honestly I hope they walk away knowing that the most amazing thing about us as people are our own personal experiences. Whether it be a break up or feeling angry about life or simply just trying to make it through the day without having a nervous breakdown. I want those feelings and experiences to connect us and make us understand we are not alone, we are all going through it together even though sometimes it feels no one is there for us but I see you and I get you.

How do you like to enjoy your time outside of the studio? Do you celebrate the completion of a body of work?

Spending time with my family is important to me being an artist most of your time is spent alone creating. So whenever I get a chance to step away from my work I like spending it with them.

I try to take a vacation if possible just to relax and clear my mind. It’s always important to me hitting that reset button once I’ve completed a big body of work. Plus it helps me transition into the next thing I have on my list.

Exhibition on view April 1 – April 22, 2023 at:
Thinkspace Projects
4207 W. Jefferson Blvd.
Los Angeles, California 90016

In Conversation with B. Robert Moore this Friday March 24 at 5pm

Join us this Friday, March 24 from 5-6pm for a talk with artist b. Robert Moore as he delves into the stories and influences behind his new body of work, Out the Mud: A Black American Rite of Passage.

Please arrive early, as seating will be limited. Thank you.

Thinkspace Projects
4217 W. Jefferson Blvd.
Los Angeles, California 90016

Los Angeles Times features b. Robert Moore’s first solo exhibition ‘Out the Mud: A Black American Rite of Passage’

April Exhibitions Featuring Ezra Brown, Caroline Weaver, Delisha, Willem Hoeffnagel Open April 1st, 2023 at Thinkspace Projects

Thinkspace Projects presents:

EZRA BROWN
Trying To Keep It Together

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.

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LA Times features b. Robert Moore’s first solo exhibition ‘Out the Mud: A Black American Rite of Passage’

“Moore’s work explores the complexities of being Black in America. He deconstructs traditional African tribes’ rites of passage and centers it on the rite of passage for African Americans, differentiating what coming of age means for the community here: survival. With works like “Amerikkka Made US ‘Crazy’” and “Messiah // Middle Child,” Moore dissects the life of Black youth and their resilience.”
– LOS ANGELES TIMES

b. ROBERT MOORE
‘Out the Mud: A Black American Rite of Passage’

Don’t miss this important show. Open Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 6pm through March 25th.

Thinkspace Projects
4217 W. Jefferson Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90016

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/newsletter/2023-03-08/what-to-do-this-weekend-long-beach-opera-horse-l-a-goes-out?fbclid=PAAaaHAKV_FRjlraYTfRR-wMxCKCrKO5eab52wE9Cs9fWRy89TvwFzYn57yGE

Photo Tour of Marissa Reyes’s ‘Fighting Fickle Feelings For You’ and Roja’s ‘Asco’

Thinkspace presents a photo tour of  Marissa Reyes’s ‘Fighting Fickle Feelings For You.’ in Gallery III and ROJA’s ‘Asco’ in Gallery IV.

All exhibitions are on view at Thinkspace Projects now through March 25, 2023.

Photos by @BirdManPhotos.

Continue reading Photo Tour of Marissa Reyes’s ‘Fighting Fickle Feelings For You’ and Roja’s ‘Asco’