Meet Lupe Galvan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lupe Galvan.

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
Born in 1981, I grew up in rural Idaho among the farm lands of the Snake River valley, the historic land of the Shoshone people. I learned to speak English at age 7 or so – however this would remain with me until age 18. I earned my BFA in Illustration from Boise State in 2006 and an MFA from The New York Academy of Art in 2009.

My art stems from my experiences of being of mixed race Hispano-Indigenous and an ESL person growing up in dominant culture geography. The isolation of the area where I grew up provided a binary opposition of preservation of traditional cultural practices while simultaneously creating more distance between dominant culture and myself. The land itself became incredibly important and spiritually linked in my upbringing and it continues to be a subject in my work. The liminal experiences have many times been the center of dialogue in my work.

Please tell us about your art.

There are many influences in my art but none more important than art which expresses some sort of mythology. I am a huge fan of Cave Art, Fayum Portraits, 19th Century Painting. Even with all that influence I try not to consciously “make art,” but rather I think about the images and the expression of something beyond a didactic message. I’d like it to be personal, yet universal.

I believe all of my work is a reflection toward understanding a personal cosmogony.

Cosmogony is a theory about the origin and the evolution of the universe as that study relates to the origin and evolution of specific astronomical systems and the universe as a whole. We possess a personal cosmogony, one in which we express subconsciously/consciously and even aesthetically. My personal cosmogony revolves around the exploration and expression of experiences of Indigenous roots and American life, through painting and drawing. Often my art encompasses depictions of modern life with aspects of traditional practices. The combination of the two is what hints at the liminal experience. Other times art reflects abject parts of life.

As an artist, how do you define success and what quality or characteristic do you feel is essential to success as an artist?
I think success is feeling confident that you have cohesive work, proficiency in media and have enough humility even after selling work or having solo shows. Something essential to success as an artist is persistence, don’t treat anything too precious and experimentation.

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
People can see my work on my website https://www.lupegalvan.com. People can support my work by following me on Instagram lupeglvn. Also, if they like what they see and are interested they can request commissions or purchase through my website. My email is lupeglvn@gmail.com

Contact Info:

• Address: 630 South Hill Dr, Prescott AZ 86303
• Website: https://www.lupegalvan.com
• Phone: 208-985-3648
• Email: lupeglvn@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lupeglvn/

Image Credit:
My portfolio

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