Core

Hi Justin, thanks for being part of Core! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do? 

I am an artist. I tend to work in anything I can get my hands on to express myself. I’ve worked in everything from painting, sculpture, installation, assemblage, found object, drawing, collage, and murals but I have tried a whole lot of other things as well. I’m no stranger to acting, dancing, writing, poetry, and other avenues of creativity. Ultimately I strive to intentionally communicate my views on sociopolitical topics and the human condition. 

Your work is incredible and it seems like you can make art out of anything. Tell me a little bit about your process. Do you have a plan before you start a piece? Do you work in series?

My process can seem chaotic however I find peace in that sort of thing. I have ADHD. One of its many traits is hyper-focus, which is highly focused attention that lasts a long time. I concentrate so hard on something I tend to lose track of time or anything else going on around me. This can happen at any time. When I come across a horrific news article, watch a heart-wrenching movie, or talk with someone who is highly inspirational for example, I have the tendency to hyper-focus and start to obsess about the topic. At this time it usually manifests itself in writing, doing in-depth research, or gathering reference materials. I then combine all of those things together to physically manifest a depiction of the initial topic. 

In a way, I deconstruct a topic and then reconstitute it in a way that makes sense to me. I tend to drive the point home by incorporating unexpected materials and iconography. One of my latest pieces incorporated an authentic vintage velvet Elvis and a large drawing of Colonel Sanders to depict my upbringing as a first-generation Filipino American. I do 

work in series but usually in conjunction with other series simultaneously. It keeps my brain sharp and gives me the freedom to play. 

What is the strangest thing you have ever used in a piece of art? 

That’s a tough thing to answer for me honestly but some of the strangest things I’ve used were gravel from Arrowhead Stadium, a discarded wedding dress I found in a trash can, a vintage player piano roll of Home on the Range from the 1920s and bleeding heart roses from an event floral design gig. I ended up making ink from those rose petals and bottled 100 little vials that were corked and waxed into place. It was an “interesting event.

What is important for you to convey as an artist? 

It’s important for me to convey an honest and personal depiction of how I see the world. It’s also important to drive the point home by utilizing multiple ways a subject matter can be depicted. Layering these depictions on one surface is what makes my work my work. Multidimensional thinking is what the “meta” is all about so why not explore? 

Can you share your social media/website info for others to follow and connect?

IG: papermonkeyartstudio