“I actually just moved from Austin, Texas, so I’m new to Los Angeles. My job moved me out here. I work for an international indie arts organization. We put on shows here in California and all across the US. I’ve just been kinda doing that and discovering Los Angeles. I had never been out here before. So far so good. I live downtown. I work downtown too, so I’ve only ventured out around downtown, but I’m really looking forward to seeing Los Angeles and California.
It’s really fast-paced here, a lot more diverse, culturally-diverse. That’s definitely a big thing. Lots of big buildings compared to Austin. You know, I was born and raised in Chicago, kinda grew up in a big city, but I spent a lot of my adult years in Austin. It’s kind of slow-paced, you know. Everyone says hi to everybody, and like, super super friendly. When I came here, it was a little … not so much. Very fast-paced, kinda trying to get used to big city living. But it’s been fun.
My best friend, years ago, was an artist. And I kinda got interested in avenues he could – where he could put his work. He was having trouble getting himself out there. So, I started just kind of gathering with the local – they put on concerts at a local venue – so I was like, ‘Hey, what if we started putting local artists in while your bands play?’ And um, it kinda started that way. It was just like, I wanted to put art everywhere around me. I just wanted to be involved in it in anyway I could. I started putting together art shows, and that’s when I kinda found RAW. And they incorporate every kind of art. So, not only do we work with visual artists, photographers, hair, makeup, fashion, film, music, performing art … so we try to incorporate every facet of art. It was really awesome. Of course, being new to LA, I’m not very familiar with it here, but being able to be in Austin and dive into the community and culture there was pretty awesome.
I started with [RAW] about 3 years ago. I came across them online. I launched their Austin branch, and I also launched their Houston and San Antonio branches as well. So yeah, then they moved me out here. I now manage, I’m the assistant director of US events. So, I essentially just manage all the US locations.
I’m a performing artist myself, I guess. I like to host and emcee events. I had a TV show for a little while in Austin, so I hosted and produced that. It was a lot of fun.
So yeah, I’m just really looking – I love all the street art here. I would have to say that’s probably one of my favorite things. Just being able to – I love The Last Bookstore. I love that place. It’s just, I don’t know, I love that everywhere you turn, there’s a different gallery here. All these different art installations here – It’s just so awesome that it’s so supported and promoted. I’m really excited about that.”
Excerpt may be paraphrased and edited for clarity.