In addition to this year’s awesome band line-up, which stretches across four stages, Galax Z Fair will include an artists corner at Suerte on 17th street. These seven artists cover a large range of styles from pop to grotesque to endearing. If you’re reading this now, the festival starts in a few hours. Get your shoes on now and head out!
Artworks Evoke Visions Of: Viktor Pivovarov’s softly colorful, wildly imaginative whimsy,
a graceful, feminine hand and a touch of Wes Anderson charisma.
For Fans Of: Well-composed design, cats and gorgeous women.
Why You Should Pay Attention: While her work is undeniably endearing, Croce’s artistic
voice is driven by her sentiment towards women’s empowerment and feminism. Rather than
assuming a one-sided point of view, she uses contrasting mediums, aesthetics and ideas to
convey her often contradicting and unsettled beliefs. Genuine, lively and eclectic, this hardworking
McAllen native embodies both heart and soul.
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OME: Zombie Vincent Van Gogh knocks on your door, hands you his ear and says he has a
million dollars for you to put into your art… What do you do?
Gwyn: After freaking out and crying hysterically, I would have to invest in an amazing studio
space fully stocked with every size and color of micron pen and prismacolor marker.
OME: What kind of raspa best describes your artistic flavor?
Gwyn: Chamoyada, without a doubt. Salty, spicy, sour, but still sweet 😉
OME: Chupacabras have taken over the world and there is a free-for-all at Hobby Lobby…
which aisle do you make a mad dash for?
Gwyn: PRISMACOLOR MARKERS AND DR. PH. MARTIN’S WATERCOLORS ASAP.
OME: HBO has decided to make a biopic about your crazy artist life. Which actor/actress is
begging to play this Oscar-worthy role?
Gwyn: I would hope somebody hilarious like Kristen Wiig, to make my life seem more
exciting than it really is.
OME: Which local artist do you think the Valley definitely needs to see more of?
Gwyn: Travis Trapp and 4rtf4rt (Amber Zuniga). Travis is always working on something new
and never disappoints. I have yet to meet Amber but I can’t help but follow her work! I love
her style.
OME: What GZFIII show will your stalkers happen to “run into you” at?
Gwyn: Miniature Tigers and Perfect Pussy. Actually, I will probably be everywhere because
this year’s lineup is fantastic.
OME: At 6:59 pm, CST, you can steal one artwork for your bathroom without any
consequences… what will we find hanging across from your fancy towels?
Gwyn: I keep changing my mind every 5 seconds, but for now I’m going to go with Winslow
Homer’s “The Fox Hunt.” …or anything by Paul Klee…or Egon Schiele…or Mary Cassatt…this
question is inappropriately difficult!
OME: What advice would you give aspiring artists who want to be like you when they grow
up?
Gwyn: When in doubt: cats. You should probably find a cooler person to look up to.
*****
CARLOS “PLEASE GOD TAKE HELP” OCHOA
Artworks Evoke Visions Of: The lovechild of Gustave Courbet and every member of KISS
in a Godzilla movie.
For Fans Of: Irreverent, energetic and observant chaos.
Why You Should Pay Attention: A self-proclaimed misanthrope with a dash of a god
complex, Ochoa’s work is not for the faint. Combining impeccable painting skill with
inspiration drawn from the loud, eccentric side of pop culture, this Peñitas native and Lisa
Frank mega fan has a distinct flare for pushing the accepted boundaries of society and
redefining them on his own terms.
*****
OME: Zombie Vincent Van Gogh knocks on your door, hands you his ear and says he has a
million dollars for you to put into your art… What do you do?
Carlos: First I’d eat his ear then I’d peel his face off and wear it, while yelling, “Look at me,
I’m a Millionaire!”
OME: What kind of raspa best describes your artistic flavor?
Carlos: Four Loko flavor!
OME: Chupacabras have taken over the world and there is a free-for-all at Hobby Lobby…
which aisle do you make a mad dash for?
Carlos: The floral department, I like the way they smell.
OME: HBO has decided to make a biopic about your crazy artist life. Which actor/actress is
begging to play this Oscar-worthy role?
Carlos: Peter Dinklage while riding on top of Bette Midler, it be totally Master Blaster.
OME: Which local artist do you think the Valley definitely needs to see more of?
Carlos: Justin “The J Man” Wright
OME: What GZFIII show will your stalkers happen to “run into you” at?
Carlos: Deep Woods, I heard they’re great open mouth kissers.
OME: At 6:59 pm, CST, you can steal one artwork for your bathroom without any
consequences… what will we find hanging across from your fancy towels?
Carlos: Porn, all porn.
OME: What advice would you give aspiring artists who want to be like you when they grow
up?
Carlos: Witchcraft is real! The sooner you come to terms with that, the sooner reptoids will
lay eggs in your frontal lobe. Trust me, I know what I’m talking about, I’m an artist <3
*****
JUSTIN WRIGHT
Artworks Evoke Visions Of: The Beach Boys, Back To The Future and epic 1960s horror movies.
For Fans Of: California color, cult classic movie posters and visual narratives.
Why You Should Pay Attention: Self-taught and creatively confident, Wright’s artwork
and technical skills span a diverse array of media and methodologies. Working together with
Carlos Ochoa as TUFF TOWN, this Alamo native’s live art is as engaging and intensely
interesting as Wright is himself. Patrons of this week’s SXSW in Austin will be able to catch
this dynamic duo in action at Javelina on Sunday, March 16 from 8 pm to 2 am.
*****
OME: Zombie Vincent Van Gogh knocks on your door, hands you his ear and says he has a
million dollars for you to put into your art… What do you do?
Justin: I would build a giant evil VanGogh battlemech powered by the evil that brought him
back to unlife, and paint the world red.
OME: What kind of raspa best describes your artistic flavor?
Justin: Ether
OME: Chupacabras have taken over the world and there is a free-for-all at Hobby Lobby…
which aisle do you make a mad dash for?
Justin: The ammunition aisle
OME: HBO has decided to make a biopic about your crazy artist life. Which actor/actress is
begging to play this Oscar-worthy role?
Justin: A Phillip Seymour Hoffman hologram.
OME: Which local artist do you think the Valley definitely needs to see more of?
Justin: Carlos ‘You can put in your hair’ Ochoa
OME: What GZFIII show will your stalkers happen to “run into you” at?
Justin: I can’t tell you who I’m most excited to see, but I can pinky swear that you’ll see me
somewhere in the jungle of bodies. Come up and say ‘Hi,’ I won’t have a power trip or
anything… Miniature tigers deep in the woods, full of criaturas.
OME: At 6:59 pm, CST, you can steal one artwork for your bathroom without any
consequences… what will we find hanging across from your fancy towels?
Justin: Francis Bacon’s Study after Velazquez’s Portrait of Pope Innocent X. If not that, then
an animation cell from ‘The Goofy Movie.’
OME: What advice would you give aspiring artists who want to be like you when they grow
up?
Justin: Be one of the first to kneel when the Reptoid enslavement begins.
*****
AMBER “4RT F4RT” ZUNIGA
Artworks Evoke Visions Of: FUN! (Not the band… but maybe the band if you think FUN is
fun?)
For Fans Of: Garbage Pail Kids, Marc Johns and Jon Burgerman.
Why You Should Pay Attention: Beautiful, humble and totally authentic, Zuniga is a
small-town girl with a global flare. With thousands of followers on Tumblr, this Donna
native’s artworks appeal to people of all ages, from all walks of life. Inspired by O’hara Hale
and often compared to Pendleton Ward, creator of Adventure Time, Zuniga’s artworks are as
delightful as she is herself, never stagnant and always enjoyable.
*****
OME: Zombie Vincent Van Gogh knocks on your door, hands you his ear and says he has a
million dollars for you to put into your art… What do you do?
Amber: Refuse and instead suggest that I trade both my ears for his heart. Science can get
that thing pumpin’ again, and I’d be able to trade my apathy for his passion.
OME: What kind of raspa best describes your artistic flavor?
Amber: A tongue tingling cherry pic-a-dilly with chilled gummy bears submerged in hills of
shaved ice and kool-aid.
OME: Chupacabras have taken over the world and there is a free-for-all at Hobby Lobby…
which aisle do you make a mad dash for?
Amber: It’ll be a blood bath before any chupacabra has the chance to even touch a single
sketchbook. A blank sketchbook is a realm of opportunities that have no bounds.
OME: HBO has decided to make a biopic about your crazy artist life. Which actor/actress is
begging to play this Oscar-worthy role?
Amber: Leonardo Dicaprio in drag because he can take my boring life and add that extra
spice to it that it needs (also he def deserves an Oscar by now).
OME: Which local artist do you think the Valley definitely needs to see more of?
Amber: You mean artists. There are handfuls of kick-ass arteests, you can’t just single one
out from the bunch. Every artist’s personal expression deserves to be soaked in and
breathed out.
OME: What GZFIII show will your stalkers happen to “run into you” at?
Amber: Miniature Tigers, for sure.
OME: At 6:59 pm, CST, you can steal one artwork for your bathroom without any
consequences… what will we find hanging across from your fancy towels?
Amber: …Seriously? Man, don’t you be playing with my emotions. I’d be snagging anything
that stops someone with bladder issues right in their tracks, whatever that may be.
OME: What advice would you give aspiring artists who want to be like you when they grow
up?
Amber: Don’t lose your passion when the going gets tough. If you ever find yourself out of
college for a while and taking on two jobs to pay for your mistakes, don’t abandon the talent
you’ve been blessed with, but rather lean on it. One day you’ll be able to breathe easy again
and you’ll be so proud of yourself.
*****
TRAVIS TRAPP
Artworks Evoke Visions Of: Keith Haring versus Ren and Stimpy, on Nickelodeon’s
Double Dare.
For Fans Of: Process color, intricate, patterned texture and Jabba the Hut.
Why You Should Pay Attention: With a body of work that could just as easily grace the
pages of Juxtapoz or Hi-Fructose as it could downtown McAllen, Trapp’s artwork is the
culmination of practice, persistence and continuing experimentation. For this Brownsville
native, designing is as natural as chachalacas at 6 am on a Valley Sunday morning.
*****
OME: Zombie Vincent Van Gogh knocks on your door, hands you his ear and says he has a
million dollars for you to put into your art… What do you do?
Travis: No zombies please. I don’t trust zombies, especially artist zombies.
OME: What kind of raspa best describes your artistic flavor?
Travis: Purple.
OME: Chupacabras have taken over the world and there is a free-for-all at Hobby Lobby…
which aisle do you make a mad dash for?
Travis: The one with all the ladies.
OME: HBO has decided to make a biopic about your crazy artist life. Which actor/actress is
begging to play this Oscar-worthy role?
Travis: Zombie Charlton Heston
OME: Which local artist do you think the Valley definitely needs to see more of?
Travis: There are so many, but I can name a few: Heaven Mendoza, Ricardo Benavides,
Delvis Cortez, Christian Rodriguez and Alex Macias. Also a few that have moved on: Edwin
Sandoval, Bradley Wilkinson, and Helen Craules.
OME: What GZFIII show will your stalkers happen to “run into you” at?
Travis: Free hot dogs? Oops. I meant only free hot dogs. I will be giving out free high fives.
OME: At 6:59 pm, CST, you can steal one artwork for your bathroom without any
consequences… what will we find hanging across from your fancy towels?
Travis: The one by that guy. Whats his name? Ruuu… something. It begins with an S. Best
painting ever.
OME: What advice would you give aspiring artists who want to be like you when they grow
up?
Travis: Be like the antelope.
*****
JOSHUA CASTILLO
*****
OME: Zombie Vincent Van Gogh knocks on your door, hands you his ear and says he has a
million dollars for you to put into your art… What do you do?
Joshua: I’d throw it in a blender with some strawberries, bananas and kale, and then drink
it to have Van Gogh’s artist powers. I think I wouldn’t know what to do with the cash until I
had Van Gogh powers though.
OME: What kind of raspa best describes your artistic flavor?
Joshua: A pineapple raspa with Trechas in the middle and on the top. Cause you start out
with chingos of flavor, then when you’re halfway, there’s even more fucking flava. And the
Trecha pineapple raspa juice is the best. Gummy bears are cool too, but they get frozen and
hard to chew and I’m not about that.
OME: Chupacabras have taken over the world and there is a free-for-all at Hobby Lobby…
which aisle do you make a mad dash for?
Joshua: The marker racks they keep in the front next to the register to keep an eye on all
the hoods that go in to jack markers to go do tags. They also have really cool model planes
and train sets that I’d never pay money for but would take if chupacabras are runnin’ shit.
OME: HBO has decided to make a biopic about your crazy artist life. Which actor/actress is
begging to play this Oscar-worthy role?
Joshua: Whoopi Goldberg. She’s always wondered what it be like to be a young fool from
the Valley.
OME: Which local artist do you think the Valley definitely needs to see more of?
Joshua: I really dig The Collective Unconscious sets, -they always play funky jams that
everyone just needs to dance to. There also was this awesome instrumental band called
They Mean Us that was from the Valley but I don’t know what happened to them. As for
visual artists, I think the Valley needs to see more art in general. We need to show we can
be in the same realm as artists anywhere else.
OME: What GZFIII show will your stalkers happen to “run into you” at?
Joshua: Prolly at the artist realm. Gonna be there a lot of the time. Don’t think anyone who
is stalking me doesn’t already know that though.
OME: At 6:59 pm, CST, you can steal one artwork for your bathroom without any
consequences… what will we find hanging across from your fancy towels?
Joshua: It would have to be the painting George Bush painted of himself in the shower.
Perfect bathroom painting.
OME: What advice would you give aspiring artists who want to be like you when they grow
up?
Joshua: Be your true self. And just start making art. You’re never gonna get anywhere
unless you just start doing something.
*****
DAVID ALVAREZ
*****
OME: Zombie Vincent Van Gogh knocks on your door, hands you his ear and says he has a
million dollars for you to put into your art… What do you do?
David: Talk into the ear and take the money and run.
OME: What kind of raspa best describes your artistic flavor?
David: Tres Leches.
OME: Chupacabras have taken over the world and there is a free-for-all at Hobby Lobby…
which aisle do you make a mad dash for?
David: I would sprint to aisle with all the Copic Markers, Sharpies and Pencils.
OME: HBO has decided to make a biopic about your crazy artist life. Which actor/actress is
begging to play this Oscar-worthy role?
David: I’d have to say Tom Cruise.
OME: Which local artist do you think the Valley definitely needs to see more of?
David: Definitely Rigoberto Gonzalez, outstanding artwork, love the baroque style. Hope to
get to his level one day.
OME: What GZFIII show will your stalkers happen to “run into you” at?
David: Not sure, hope I don’t have any stalkers.
OME: At 6:59 pm, CST, you can steal one artwork for your bathroom without any
consequences… what will we find hanging across from your fancy towels?
David: I suppose Alphonse Mucha’s “The Seasons” series.
OME: What advice would you give aspiring artists who want to be like you when they grow
up?
David: Draw everyday whether you’re at work, at school or at lunch, just keep drawing.
*****
