Today we’d like to introduce you to Dustin Lopez.
Hi Dustin, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
For as long as I can remember I’ve always drawn and been that creative type. After moving to Phoenix for the second time in 2012 I made it a goal to network and meet fellow artists and designers. Before that I often found myself marveling at other people’s work, so I decided to try. Plus I found a need for mentors in some of the spaces I was involved in.
From there everything just started to skyrocket after building my network and having the courage to enter competitions or help out with events and programs dedicated to the youth. That’s when things started to change for me because I discovered a lot of fulfillment and doing that kind of work.
Fast forward to today and I find myself being more than an artist, but a creative consultant; whether I’m working with kids or troubled youth, creating murals, developing my streetwear, designing house products like pillows and blankets, entering skateboard deck shows and other fundraising opportunities that better the community… and a lot more LOL.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Not at all. A lot of self doubt honestly. Plus the support system I had wasn’t the best and that discouraged me from dipping my toe in the water in the world of networking. I come from a small town where handshakes and business cards were how we discovered one another. Living in the city was a different kind of beast, fellow creatives weren’t always the most welcoming.
Other challenges included being a firefighter and maintaining that community, being busy with being a father of three kids, and other goals or interests. Another obstacle was finding room to sling paint or studio space to have all my tools out. LOL, it was a real challenge trying to put together a body of work in an apartment with kids, dogs, and normal furniture.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
A lot of my work is based on the journey of self-identity reclaim. What am I, who am I, and what or who do I represent as an Indigenous person? These were items missing in my work it felt, but now they fuel it. Fusing my love for street art and culture with traditional stories was a big no-no, so I took it as a challenge. I don’t think I am known for anything. I have some murals around Phoenix, As an artist, I am playing with ink, spray paint, and pastels.
As a designer I am always playing with letters, logos and layouts-they make me happy. I am most proud of the contributions I have done that involve working with the youth or bringing attention to the injustice native people face as identity reclaim, or the MMIW movement. I didn’t realize how much of my own story was involved in some of the posters and graphics I made to create a conversation.
As for what sets them apart I haven’t thought about it. I don’t care for trends. I am guilty of trying to keep up with them and found myself unhappy with my work. But I will say that my lettering and ability to story tell or conceptualize are often complimented.
What does success mean to you?
Success to me is waking up and knowing you have a direction or purpose that you are headed towards every day. It goes along the lines of a Japanese term, ‘ikigai, that translates to ‘life meaning’. I discovered this term and learned how to make it part of my daily life, ensuring that I am living a life of fulfillment.
I believe in it so much I usually include it in my speeches or talks with youth or anyone asking questions that pertains to success, happiness, etc. To sum it up if you lay your head down at night and you feel fulfilled at the end of the day… all the other bullshit doesn’t matter. That’s success in my eyes.
Contact Info:
- Website: dus10lopez.art
- Instagram: @dus10lopezart
- Facebook: @dus10lopez
- Other: www.dopez.design or @dopez.design
Image Credits
Adawn Madrigul
