Artist Spotlight: Aaron De La Cruz

Street art meets fine art. Family man meets professional artist. Aaron De La Cruz is an inspiring artist and individual, and the more we learn about his background and what inspires him, the more we’re drawn to his work.

Aaron is the father of seven-year-old twin boys and a four-year old girl. He custom-designed the masks in this photo for Dsptch! @aarondelacruz

WHERE IT ALL STARTED…

While growing up in Fresno, graffiti became De La Cruz’s first access to art in a public setting. Although his work has evolved over the years, he continues to incorporate graffiti-like elements into his art.

His recent piece on the Canvas Costa Mesa campus, “Family Reunion,” is a cross section of fine art and street art; black shapes adorn a giant wall facing Bristol street, and colored disks and 3-D sculptures add fun pops of color to the piece (thanks, Spin Imaging). The colored elements use automotive paint, which is typically used on lo-riders in LA. 

INTERVIEW TIME!

We were able to gain some insight into De La Cruz's approach to his artwork, specifically his newest mural at Canvas.

What was the general process you went through to complete this project from start to finish? 

This project definitely took a lot of planning--about a year out from when I started painting the mural to be exact. There were so many fabrication elements in this interactive public art piece. 

What was your favorite part of the process?

I was excited when Clarissa asked me to design sculptural elements that people could walk around; I knew that I wanted to create something that communicated with the painted mural. I loved choosing the candy paint because it was my first time using it, so it was great to revisit a medium that I was only used to seeing on classic low-rider cars I grew up with. 

What inspires your artwork? 

My artwork is inspired by the conversation I want to have with my audience. I always try to find a way to integrate elements that represent people in my audience or my family. Architecture also influences my work. 

In the past, you’ve primarily worked in black and white. What inspired you to start adding color to your work?

For this project, I had the opportunity to work with color. I decided to use the colored circles on the mural to represent members in my immediate family. And the six sculptures in front of the mural represent the six grandkids my parents have. 

I also wanted these sculptures to be an ode to the name of Costa Mesa, which translates to "plateau of the sea."

Next time you’re driving on Bristol street, keep an eye out for this geometric, eye-catching mural. You won’t miss it.

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