How Art is Born Season 3

Episode 4

Transcription

R. Alan Brooks:

Hey, I'm R. Alan Brooks, uh, the host of this podcast,

Dele Johnson:

and I'm Dele your producer and editor. See, there's a lot, uh, cool to just have one name.

R. Alan Brooks:

You got like the Cher, Prince thing going on <laugh>, but I think you can carry it.

Dele Johnson:

Hey. But you have the first initial, which is also such a cool thing in the writer's world, I feel like, especially those first initials, it's, it's the secret.

R. Alan Brooks:

Not a secret. Like, it's not a secret, but people are always like, what does that stand for? Sometimes I tell 'em, Reverend just to see what they say. <laugh>. Anyway. Okay. So we just, uh, had, uh, we talked with Amanda Lopez. That'll be today's episode. It's a really good conversation.

Dele Johnson:

Yeah. That was a really dope conversation with Amanda. Um, shout out to Amanda for being a guest.

R. Alan Brooks:

Yeah.

Dele Johnson:

Someone that I found on Instagram through a friend. So really a, a a serendipitous moment for her to come on to the show, but I think, um, a perfect fit.

R. Alan Brooks:

Yeah. I don't know if it got into the camera, but, uh, I did mention her hat game, but her shoes are really dope. Uh, so Amanda told me that she's a twin and her twin sister designed her shoes, or at least gave her the shoes. Yeah. Yeah. So that, that's kind of cool. I really love, um, hearing about art that I don't know much about. Right. So, like, I don't know a lot about the art of photography. So hearing her journey, um, from like the first time art spoke to her, the first time that she realized that photography was like the things she wanted to do, and then realizing that portraiture, like people were what she wanted to show in her photography. Um, oh, that's really interesting. So that's the stuff that people that you'll hear, like when you listen to this episode.

Dele Johnson:

Yeah. It's a, it's a really cool trajectory. And she had some great takes on, like fear. Yeah. Um, there was a great conversation about imposter syndrome, um, and some laughs to be had as well. And a little bit of conversation about country music.

R. Alan Brooks:

Right.

Dele Johnson:

First time that's ever happened on show.

R. Alan Brooks:

It was a first. You're right. Yeah. Uh, yeah. It's a, a lot of firsts for, for this episode. Right. Make sure that you subscribe to How Art Is Born wherever you get your podcast. And also check out MCA Denver on YouTube where you can watch the video version of this podcast. Yeah. And, uh, spread the word please, like leave reviews and stuff like that. Uh, like, we love doing this podcast and I've talked to people who really enjoy listening to it, but, uh, we would like for more people to be able to share in it, and you can help us do that. So, thank you.

Dele Johnson:

Yes, thank you. And tell a friend to tell a friend <laugh>.

R. Alan Brooks:

Right on.

Welcome to How Art Is Born, a podcast from the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver about the origins of artists and their creative and artistic practices. I'm your host, ARA Brooks, artist, writer, and professor. Today I'm joined by Denver and Los Angeles based photographer Amanda Lopez. Say hello.

Amanda Lopez:

Hello.

R. Alan Brooks:

Alright, so to start us off, can you tell us a little bit about who you're

Amanda Lopez:

Sure I am Amanda Lopez. I am originally from Sacramento, California. Born and raised there. Uh, I am a photographer. I work in like the commercial editorial and art spaces, and I'm newish to Denver. I've been here for, oh man, uh, less than maybe around like seven, eight months. Wow. Like kind of going between Yeah. Here in Los Angeles. Yeah. I'm trying to figure out what, like the next part of, uh, my journey is, and Denver felt like a good place to be. It actually reminds me of a lot of Sacramento. Yeah. Oddly, I tell my husband that all the time. I'm like, there's something about Denver that feels familiar to me. I think it's, I think it has something to do with like, it's like, you know, it's a city, it's like a medium-sized city Right. With lots of like, amenities that big cities have mm-hmm. <affirmative>, but less traffic. Yeah. Which I'm really into <laugh>.

R. Alan Brooks:

That's definitely true. So, yeah, I mean, uh, so I grew up in Atlanta mm-hmm. <affirmative>, and, but I've been here for quite a while. But one of the things I dig about Denver is that the artistic community is generally not very competitive with each other. Like, different people from different cliques will show up to support each other's stuff. That's

Amanda Lopez:

Dope. I

R. Alan Brooks:

Love that. Yeah. Like, uh, in comics and music, like, uh, I've just seen it over and over again and, uh, yes. I really dig the way that the arts community, um, participates in each other's stuff here.

Amanda Lopez:

That's awesome. I, I'm excited to kind of, uh, be more a part of that community. You know, when I first moved here, uh, community is important to me. Yeah. And when we moved here, uh, we know like four people here, and they're, um, primarily I met them through my, my husband, and so I was like, I need some of my own friends. Of course, they're my friends now. Right. You know, we're homies. I love them. But I know that it's important because I'm away from my family. I'm away from like the community that I had built, um, in la mm-hmm. <affirmative>, you know, I really wanted to, to make some, some friends in Denver. And one of the first thing I did was to reach out to people that I, I saw on Instagram, like, oh, dope artists. And I'm also part of this collective called Diversified photo. Okay. Which is like photographers from all over the world. It's like a, a database, huh. Uh, and there's a bunch of photographers on that network here in Denver. So I reached out to them and just, just connecting. Right. It's so important, like to connect and Yeah. Also to know other artists, and it's, the few that I've met have been awesome, and I can't wait to like, meet more folks and really be a part of the community word.

R. Alan Brooks:

Yeah. All right. Okay. So I like to start off with people. I usually ask, uh, two questions. One is, when is the first time you remember art being significant or moving to you? Okay. And then the second one is, when did you feel like you wanted to create art?

Amanda Lopez:

Yeah. I, I have like two kind of distinct memories of like, when art was, when I kind of discovered art. Yeah. Or, you know, like I've always liked to draw and paint and, you know, my mom, I think recognized that when I was little. So she'd buy me books and, you know, that's cool. Crayons and stuff. And I remember she got me this series of books and I, I wouldn't be surprised if they still made them, but they were like, kids' book kids' books about like, and so like a Leonardo da Vinci book, A Van Gogh book. And I remember looking at the Van Gogh book specifically mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And I was like, whoa, what is this? Like, I really just appreciated his, like, painting style. And then I was really into like Bob Ross when I was little, you know? Nice. So like, I'd sit in front of like, the, you know, the TV and just watch.

And that was like really seeing those things, like at a young age, you're, you're, when you're exposed to them, you're like, oh, cool, that's awesome. Like, someone is doing that for a living or that's, you know, a path that you can choose. And so, yeah, getting those books when I was little and then seeing Bob Ross on tv like, kind of showed me like, oh, art is something that people do, and you could maybe do it too. That's cool. Yeah, I saw that and I really wanted to be a painter, man. That was like my initial, like, I think dream, like, I'm like, I'm gonna go to Paris. I'm gonna paint on the cn. And just like, you know.

R. Alan Brooks:

So what, what age was, was this like, that you were thinking of being a painter?

Amanda Lopez:

Little, like, I was like eight years old, drawing Ninja Turtles, and I was like, I'm gonna go to Paris, I'm gonna go to Italy, you know, and then my third grade teacher told my mom like, oh, I, he recognized, you know, maybe something in me. And he was like, oh, you know, you should enroll Amanda in after school classes. Like, I see that she really likes this. And so she did <laugh> and I loved the classes, but learned right away that like, um, painting, it didn't come naturally Okay. In the way that I thought it should. I was like, why can't I paint like what I'm imagining in my head? And so, right. That was kind of frustrating, but I still enjoyed it. I still enjoy drawing and, and you know, watercolors and stuff like that. But then in high school, that's when it all kind of changed.

Um, I always liked the arts, like I said, but in high school, I took a photography class. It was like part of our electives in school mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And that was like when the light bulb really went off, I was like, oh, this is it. This is it. It's photography. It wasn't painting though. I love it. It's photography. And so, yeah, high school was like, kind of like the tipping point for me, which I think is, you know, I've, I, I know a lot of folks who, uh, after have taken a photo class, like Right. You know, they found their path and that was the story for me.

R. Alan Brooks:

Did so. Okay. In high school, when you were doing a photography, did you immediately gravitate towards like portrait or what were there other things? Yeah,

Amanda Lopez:

I think in the beginning I was trying to figure out like, yeah, what I like, I just knew I liked it. And of course, when you're in, um, in school you have all these assignments, so you're like, okay, take a still life now go on the studio and do this. Now. Go take pictures of the football teams. So you're kind of exposed to like all of these different types of photography mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And I just remember enjoying it cuz I went to school when you learned film. Right. And so I was processing my film in the, in the dark room. Dark room, yeah. And like, making prints. And so I just liked the whole process, but then the more you do, the more you figure out what really feels like good for you mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And so for me, um, I started realizing probably around my senior year, like, oh, it's people, it's portraiture. Like that's my jam. Hmm.

R. Alan Brooks:

Okay. So then, uh, what, what is the appeal of portraiture and people for you? Oh

Amanda Lopez:

Man. I think <laugh>, that's a good question. Um, I like the connection that you make with people when you photograph them. Um, I, I don't know. I think having done different types of photography, you know, there's a hot second one. I, uh, you know, shot weddings, I tried photojournalism and those things just didn't feel like what I was supposed to do. And yeah. When I started doing like, individual portrait sessions, like that felt like, oh, this is, it. It, like, it's working when someone collaboratively and making a photo. And I think the gratification of like, creating something that both people are psyched on Huh. Is what like, keeps me going.

R. Alan Brooks:

It's an interesting process to me. Cuz as someone who's not a photographer, I, and someone who's had a lot of pictures of me, I didn't like <laugh>. I wonder, uh, you know, finding, it seems like, it seems like the art is and finding, um, a image that represents the person as you're experiencing them. Does that make sense? Yeah. Yeah. So you talk about like, what that is to you. What, what is it you're trying to express? What are you trying to communicate when you take a photo of someone? I

Amanda Lopez:

Think like a feeling, I think for me, like a successful photo is one that both people like Okay. The photographer and like the person that they're working with. Yeah. I think in the beginning I was really into, um, making photos that had kind of like a melancholy to them. I was really interested in, in, um, the duality of like people's feelings, like the, the, uh, the joy, but also the sorrow. So I guess kind of the human experience it sounds, I don't know. But, um, I, I really, I don't know. I was looking for that and, and now I think, um, as I get older I'm like looking for the joy in people. Like, and I wanna make those kinds of photos, you know? And so I get a lot of, uh, gratification and satisfaction from making, uh, portraits of people and again, like the, something that both people are proud of. Yeah. And maybe that shows the person like a different way of seeing themselves. Cuz some, a lot of the folks I work with, like, um, like when I work editorially mm-hmm. <affirmative>, people are not used to having their picture taken. So I take a lot of pride in creating like a safe, comfortable space, like where people feel free to be who they are and are open to collaboration and ideas and, and things like that. You know. Okay.

R. Alan Brooks [AD READ]:

MCA Denver at the Holiday theater is a year-round performance and event space that is an extension of the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver. The holiday is home to a spectrum of creative expression, including original productions, live music, film screenings, artist talks, and serial programming like mixed taste and Cinema Azteca, as well as performances and events presented by other cultural organizations. The theater's also available for private rentals. Visit NCAA denver.org/holiday theater to learn more. Well, it's interesting to hear you talk about that process, uh, because, uh, you know, looking at your work, you've worked with a lot of celebrities, uh, who have had to deal with their image being portrayed in a lot of different ways. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, is there a way that you coax a different perspective out of them? Or is it like you're building a relationship with them? Like, what's that process like?

Amanda Lopez:

I think the process is just, for me, it's like letting folks know, like my, I want, like, I always keep their best interest at heart. Like, I'm not trying to make anyone look foolish. I'm trying to make people look strong and proud and like beautiful. Like, that's always my goal. And so I think if someone isn't maybe familiar with my work, if they look at the work Yeah. They'll be like, oh, she's not here to play. She really wants to make something great with me. You know? That's cool. So I try, I really want to make like, the whole experience really lovely because like I said, like some folks that I do work with have photographed celebrities, but a lot of the people that I photograph are not, you know? Yeah. And it's their first time getting their picture taken. And so for me, like I said, it's just about making like a really comfortable environment because it's kinda intrusive to get your picture taken. Someone's all up in your face, you don't know them, and they want you to do X, Y, and Z. And so it's really important that you do have to build a rapport. Cause if someone doesn't trust you, you're not gonna get a good photo, you know? Right. And so, try and make it comfortable.

R. Alan Brooks:

It's such an interesting thing because it's a collaborative art mm-hmm. <affirmative>, um, even though the, the person who's being photographed is not necessarily creating the art per se mm-hmm. <affirmative>, I don't know, it's just an interesting thing to

Amanda Lopez:

Me. Yeah. In, in some, but they have to be vulnerable enough to let themselves be seen. Right. Yeah. So in that way, they are, they are part of the process. Right. Like, I can't make the photo without them. Right. And I can't make a photo without their vulnerability and their trust. And so it, it, it is collaborative in that way. It, you know. Yeah.

R. Alan Brooks:

Huh. That's really cool. Okay. So let's rewind. You encountered photography in high school. Yeah. Um, you pretty much kind of knew that was the thing.

Amanda Lopez:

Yeah. I mean, I feel lucky that I, cuz I thought, okay, so I come from, you know, an immigrant family. Like I, everyone in my family, you know, blue collar workers. Yeah. Um, I didn't know what I wanted to study, like mm-hmm. <affirmative> when I went to college, even that like, you know, one of the first people in my family to go to college. And so I thought, okay, I guess I'm gonna study business or communications. And then, but just because I didn't know that I had a choice really. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, you know, I'm like, I guess this is what people do. You go to school and you, you know, you study one of those things or you become a doctor, a lawyer, and Right. That wasn't, you know, that wasn't in, in my, um, on my journey. And so I thought, okay, I'll do one of those two other things and then I just go to photography mm-hmm. <affirmative> and then I, and then I was like, oh, this is an option when, you know, you're applying for school and you see like, art is a major you can study. I was like, oh my God, no one told me this before. This is amazing. You know? And so yeah. In, in high school around my sophomore year, I, you know, that I really enjoyed photography and that this could be something that I could do, you know, for a living.

R. Alan Brooks:

Yeah. Okay. So you, you embraced it, you find it, first of all was the resistance from your family?

Amanda Lopez:

I think, you know, <laugh>, it's funny because I told my dad, oh, I'm gonna study communications. Yeah. And I think that he probably told all his friends that my daughter is gonna study communications even after I like graduated. You know? But I think it, there was never pushback from my mom. Okay. You know, she grew up in a really strict family, like the oldest of seven. Uh, and she had a lot of restrictions in her life and I don't think that she wanted that for her kids. Yeah. And so she was like, whatever you wanna do, I'm gonna support you. I might not know the first thing to tell you about how to get to where you want to go, but I'm gonna support you. Which is huge in itself, you know? That's cool. Yeah. Yeah. I think my dad, his, I think he was kind of like, what are you talking about? Like, what are you gonna do with an art degree? You know, <laugh> and I think it's just out of, was out of fear. Right? Like, she wants his daughter to be happy and successful and be earning a living. And he didn't know how I could do that as, as an artist, you know? But, um, sometimes I think I don't, I don't even know if he really understands what I fully do, but I think that he's proud nonetheless, you know? That's

R. Alan Brooks:

Cool. Yeah. He really is the unknown, right? Like Yeah. Because, uh, the way to making a living as, as an artist period is different. It's different for so many people, even within the same discipline. Totally. Yeah. So I think that, that I I can totally understand my parents' fear and your father's fear. Yeah. You know, that kind of thing. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So, uh, you decided to go to school? Uh, yeah. Did you, did you go to college after high school for photography or?

Amanda Lopez:

I did. Yeah. I went to San Francisco State. Okay. And then, um, I graduated and was like, I don't know enough yet. I need to learn more. I went to a very like, art centered school. Okay. That did, wasn't like, didn't teach a lot of technique. Ah. And I was like, I need to know how to light things. I need to know how to run a business. Like the school I went to was very much like, here's an artist, art studio, create art. I'm like, and that's wonderful and it's great. And I had such an ex a lovely experience, but I didn't learn like some fundamentals that I needed, wanted to learn.

R. Alan Brooks:

I talked to so many artists who say that their business part is not

Amanda Lopez:

In school. No. I did not learn it in school. I, uh, so I, I recognized there's some holes you need to fill <laugh>. Right. Like, there's some things I need, need to learn.

R. Alan Brooks:

That's good. Yeah. That's good. You could identify that.

Amanda Lopez:

So the, actually, believe it or not, I kind of went backwards. I went to City College at night in San Francisco. They have an incredible, at the time, I'm, I wouldn't be surprised if they still do like incredible photo program mm-hmm. <affirmative> that taught about marketing and taught about business that taught how to light. And so I, I think I went to school for another two years at night. You know, just like learning more and, uh, met a bunch of awesome, uh, photographers and that were, you know, were still in touch with today. Um, and, but I would say I learned the most like interning and assisting. Like, that's where you really learn. But for me makes sense. Makes sense. That's what I learned sense. And so I did all of, you know, I went to school, then I went to City College and then started assisting where I could. And that's where I really saw like the process demystified. Cuz it's all esoteric Right. Until you're like in it. Right. And so, um, you know, I would assist my friends if they had editorial gigs and learn how to light, learn how to talk to people, like learn to know what to ask for.

R. Alan Brooks:

You know, I was gonna ask about that part. Learning how to talk to people. So was that in school at all, or it was just

Amanda Lopez:

<laugh> It's like trial and error, right? Yeah. You gotta like figure it out. And, uh, I mean, maybe some schools do teach that. I don't know what other programs are, like, experience, but it wasn't my experience. No. Yeah. And so I didn't know that you could ask for certain things, um, from someone hiring you to take a picture for a sand magazine or a newspaper or mm-hmm. <affirmative>, you know, or, um, yeah. You just learn a lot, like on the job. Right. And so that's where I learned the most

R. Alan Brooks:

<laugh>. Okay. So you go through this process of interning, you learn all this stuff. Yeah. Um, is there a point where you're like, now it's time for me to do my thing? Or was it just sort of a gradual? I think

Amanda Lopez:

It was, it's always been gradual. You know, I've been really lucky to kind of have always, always have art related jobs. Yeah. So I worked in, like, in galleries or I worked at like a photo studio. Um, I worked at a photo studio in an air force base. I've, you know, worked at a photo studio taking pictures of like little kids and families, like

R. Alan Brooks:

Wherever pictures are at

Amanda Lopez:

Wherever. I, I could, yeah, exactly. Like wherever I could keep, uh, myself in like, kind of the art world. Yeah. You know, I did. And so, um, I did that for a long time. And, uh, my husband's actually a photographer too. Okay. And he was freelance. Um, he went freelance before I did, and I had a lot of fear around it. I'm like, well, what if I can't, you know, meet, uh, my budgetary needs? Like what if the, the month is slow? Like, and so I always had a a day job, uhhuh, but would on the weekends or after work, like, you know, shoot editorially if I could or work on personal projects, which is like a big part of like, my, my practice. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So the moment I decided to start my business was when we moved to la. Okay. And so I was in San Francisco for about 10 years.

So I went to school there and stayed for a little while. And, um, I'd been in San Francisco for 10 years, you know, um, my partner who's home with today, he's my husband. Uh, we were like, okay, we've been here for 10 years. I feel like we've done all we could do here. What's next? Right. And he's from New York, so I thought, oh, well maybe we'll go to New York. And we went to New York for a couple months and I love New York. And so I was kind of shocked when we got there and it didn't feel like a natural fit. I was like, oh, this is weird. Like, I love New York. Like, I wanna make it happen here. Why isn't it happening? Uh, and then we thought, okay, what about la mm-hmm. <affirmative> and I had lived in LA before. Okay. Um, had a great experience. But, uh, after eight months, uh, I went back to Sacramento where I'm from. So I was like, I don't know if I wanna move back to la. You know, like traffic is a real thing out there. And I was living in Whittier, commuting to the opposite side of the city. I was in my car like two hours one way, like after work. And

R. Alan Brooks:

There's the meanness is, uh, that LA is six hours away from la

Amanda Lopez:

That's funny. And yeah. Kind of for real, like, it was a lot. And so I had a lot of reservations about going back. Right. But once we went to la, things fell into place really quickly. Okay. And I took that as a sign. It's like, oh, we're in the right place and you can do it. And so, um, about 10 years ago was when I took the plunge. Yeah. And I think LA is a good place to do that because there is a lot of work if you're a creative person mm-hmm. <affirmative>, if you're an actor, a musician, a photographer, whatever there is, um, work, you, you know, of course you have to build your networks. Yeah. But there is a lot of, a lot of work there. And so we were able to, you know, keep it going. But, you know, for full transparency, like for anybody who might be watching this too, I, you know, there were points along that, those 10 years where I wanted to quit. I was like, man, this, uh, this contracting, this freelancing, it is a hustle. You really have to be out there reaching out to people just up, you know, just out there. Right. And so it started to get to me a little bit, and I think I had a slow month. And I was like, you know what? I think I'm gonna, I'm gonna see what else I can do in the art world. But like, you know, like, I was like, okay, this is interesting.

R. Alan Brooks:

Cause I want to ask you more about that. You know, like there is that feast or famine thing Right. When you're, uh, freelance to

Amanda Lopez:

Your own thing.

R. Alan Brooks:

Yeah. Yeah. But, uh, was it sounds like, based on what you said, the networking, the sort of, uh, building context and that, that was the stuff that was most stressful to you. Is that right or No?

Amanda Lopez:

Or I guess what was most stressful is kind of like the never ending cycle of a contractor. Right. Like, if you're working at a nine to five, you know, every day you have somewhere to be a paycheck coming in. And as a freelancer, you know, that's not always the case. Right. Right. Could be really busy one week and then dead and slow the next week. Right. So a there was a lot of like, um, learning to not panic mm-hmm. <affirmative> in the, in the slow times, you know. Right. Um, but every time I was about to throw in the towel, you know, my partner would be like, no, it's all right. You got this. Like, that's cool. Breathe. It's just a, you know, it's just slow right now. Tomorrow could be different. And I, you know, I don't think I fully learned that lesson until like I had, I was like, okay, this is it.

Like, I'm gonna keep doing photography on the side. I'm gonna see what else is out there. What I just wanted a steadier income. Right. Yeah. And, and I went to bed kind of like depressed and annoyed, and I was like, you know, like, all right, I'm gonna just do something else. And then I woke up in the morning kind of feeling defeated, and then got an email from like a, a magazine that I'd always wanted to work with, and like, oh, we have a job for you. Nice. And I took that as a sign from like, the universe, you know? Right. I was like, all right, you're on the right path. It's not always gonna be easy. Yeah. Like, and maybe nothing worth having is Right. And for me, that again was just a sign, like, keep on the path, you know? Um, but I think it's normal to be like, ah, what should I do? It's not quite how I thought it was gonna be. And I think sometimes that's like, for lack of maybe transparency from like your peers, like, cuz from the outside looking in, like if you're just scrolling on Instagram, you think everybody's doing amazing. Right. You know, like you talk to your friends and they're doing X, Y, and Z and you're like, oh man, I'd love to be doing that. Why am I not doing that? What's wrong with me? You know, it's like this whole cycle.

R. Alan Brooks:

But then there's also this, uh, idea that there's like a point of like making it Yeah. Right. Where it's like, uh, if you're working full-time as a creative person, um, when is making it right? Like you are always having to do new work. Yeah. That's, you're always having to hustle up new work. Yeah. And, but if we, I think we have sort of this narrowly defined thing, like when I become an artist. Yeah. You know? Yeah. And, and like, the reality isn't like that. Right. It, it is. No, it's a constant hustle, but it's so much better than doing the things that are like, I don't know, detrimental to our souls.

Amanda Lopez:

Yeah. I agree. You know what's so funny? When I lived in San Francisco, there was a gallery there that I always wanted to show in Uhhuh. And I was part of this, uh, women Photo collective and we booked a show there and I was like, this is the greatest moment of my life. I was so excited. Yeah. And we were at the opening and, you know, friends and family are there. And like, uh, my friend who's also in the collective comes up to me. She's like, are you okay? You don't seem as excited as I, as you know, I thought you would be, you were so excited. She knew how much it meant to me to show there. And I was like, yeah, I had that, what you just said. I had that thought. I was just like, this is great, but what is like, okay, now I achieved this.

Like, what's next? Like, right. So just like redefining what like success is and like not being, um, and also appreciating those moments. Yes. You know, like I, I, I was like appreciative, but also I was like, okay, now I did it. Now what, what else do I have to do? Or like, what else should I do? And like mm-hmm. <affirmative> kind of being caught up in that a little. Right. But then realizing like, it's important to like, celebrate those milestones cuz there is always gonna be something else, you know? Yeah. And that's just like the nature of like, what exactly what you just said of like, this creative process. You know?

R. Alan Brooks:

It's such interesting and I think, uh, with you, it's really interesting since, uh, both you and your husband are photographers. Yeah. So you're both sort of like on that treadmill sort of, so to speak. Yeah.

Amanda Lopez:

Yeah.

R. Alan Brooks:

<laugh>. Uh, cuz you know, I think, uh, the unpredictable nature of a creative, uh, job means that like, there has to be, especially when, when it's two people in the household, uh, it means that there has to be like some strong communication, some, uh, setting of e expectations. You know, like some sort of mutual agreements on things is so, uh, how do you navigate through that stuff?

Amanda Lopez:

That's a good question. I, you know, a lot of, um, patience <laugh>. Right. Uh, my husband and I, his name is Trevor Trainer, he is an Austin photographer. We work really differently like night and day. Okay. So in the beginning it was really challenging because he likes things done a certain way. I like things done certain way. Yeah. And of course egos can be like, well, my way, the better way, Eric. He's right. You know, and I think frost, it was just like learning to understand that like, we each have our own way and it's okay. And, uh, so we've learned to, uh, work better over the years, but it took a, it takes a while. Yeah. Like, you don't get there overnight, especially when folks have such, we had such different ways of doing things. Yeah. Um, yeah. But also it's, I think we're such a good match because we can kind of call each other on things if we need to.

Yeah. That's good. Or just also like, he'll tell me like, when he can, he sees that I'm like, burning out. He's like, you're, you're burning out. Like, and I'm like, no, I'm not. He's like, you might be burning out like you keep going. Yeah. So it's good to have that like, uh, awareness from your partner, like weird back to you like, oh, maybe I am. Cuz left to my own demise. Like I'll, you know, run myself to the ground. And so it's, uh, it's nice to have a partner who's also creative because he understands like, what it's like Yeah. Like the highs and the lows and like, we can talk each other off the ledge because it is, you know, um, over the years we've, we've, um, you know, learned to manage that wave of ups and downs. It's not such a, it doesn't feel like a tsunami anymore. It just feels like, oh, this is a natural way that things are. And it's, it's, maybe it's, uh, low now, but it can be high tomorrow. So like, just learning to ride the wave like together peacefully, you know. Hmm.

R. Alan Brooks:

Okay. So you mentioned, uh, editorial work, sort of being your bread and butter for a while. Yeah. Um, well, is so is that kind of your focus now? Like, I know a lot of the work that I saw was I think, editorial work,

Amanda Lopez:

But Yeah. Yeah. Is, I love editorial work because it's, um, you know, it's like meaning that, uh, I, I'll work with different magazines or newspapers mm-hmm. <affirmative> and they'll say, Hey Amanda, we have this shoot. Um, someone will give you an hour. This is what we need. And I really like that the, um, like the challenge of that. Like, okay, what can I make happen in the short period of time? Like, I feel like I thrive in those situations. Yeah. Um huh. So, yeah. So I do a lot of editorial work. Right now I'm focusing, I'm transitioning to doing more commercial work. Okay. Um, and then I have like, you know, my own, um, art practice that I do like for me, you know?

R. Alan Brooks:

Yeah. That's dope. Okay. So, you know, I, I know that you wouldn't necessarily be inclined to name drop the people that you photographed <laugh>, but, uh, what's most interesting to me is what your experience was. So, uh, for people who are listening, you know, they can go to your side. We'll say it at the end, they can Google it. But you've done stuff with Snoop Dogg, you've done, uh, the Star of Abbott Elementary. Oh yes. Uhhuh <affirmative>. Well, so I wanna know what it was like for you, maybe the first time that there was like a celebrity that you felt like was like big or whatever, and you had to do this editorial work. Were you, were you nervous mm-hmm. <affirmative>, was it just the same? Like, what was the experience like?

Amanda Lopez:

Yeah, that's a good question. I think so the, the first kind of big editorial shoot I do with Celeb was with Snoop Dogg. Okay. And I was nervous <laugh>, I was like, oh, mg, I haven't been a photograph Snoop Dogg, you know, and he was so kind. Oh, I love that. And so, awesome. And that shoot kind of showed me like, you know, it was editorial still a very limited amount of time. And maybe I got half an hour with him. Okay. And after that process, I felt like a new Paige had turned. Cause I was like, oh, he's human. Right. He wants to be treated just like everybody else. Yeah. You know, and he was so kind. And I did the exact same thing that I, uh, the whole, my whole process, you know, how I work with him, that I do with, uh, a non-celebrity, it's the same thing for me.

So that having that experience was like, okay, like I can do this. It's fine. You know? And I've been lucky that for the most part, like I, all of my ex, I mean over like 10 years, maybe one time mm-hmm. <affirmative> was kind of a funny situation, was some like, uh, you know, someone I was working with Yeah. But other, like hundreds of other amazing people, like, are, were so open to the whole like, photo process, you know? And so, yeah, that was the first time, um, that I felt like, okay, I can do this. And, uh, I didn't have to worry so much about like, putting folks on a pedestal. Cause for me, that would make me nervous. Yes. You know, like, he's human. Right. You know? And so, um,

R. Alan Brooks:

Yeah. That's cool that you could find that in there and Yeah. And that your process was validated, right. Like, cuz this is what you've been doing, and then you're able to connect with the humanity and him and, and, uh, I guess carry that on to the rest of your celebrity work, <laugh>. Yeah. I did, uh, air quotes for people listening <laugh>. Yeah. Anyway, so, uh, okay. So you, you gotten to this point, the editorial stuff strong. Uh, you said that you do some things for your, um, artistic satisfaction. Yeah. That wasn't exactly what you said,

Amanda Lopez:

But Yeah. Like my art practice, like Yeah. I do like personal work just for me. Um, I think for me, photography is like a healing thing. Oh, cool. You know, like for me it's, um, I like to work on, um, projects that mm-hmm. <affirmative> like, well first of all, I think like the project comes to comes to you. Okay. You know, well, at least in my, my practice, like, um, something will keep coming up for me and coming up for me and coming up for me. I'm like, and I've learned to like, listen to those things because in the past I might have just been like, oh, okay, cool. But if you don't listen to, cuz the idea is coming to you for a reason. Yeah. Right. Like, it wants you to make this thing. And if you're, if you're not willing to do it at the time or you can't at the time, it's totally okay, but the idea will go to someone else cuz it wants to be made.

Right. And this is like from, I read a book, um, Elizabeth Gilbert has this book, I think it's called Big Magic, and she talks about that. And when I read that, that felt, it made sense to me because a lot of the personal work that I do like is ideas that come. And sometimes my process is like, I, I like to work slowly, I like to do research, I like to read a lot about something I'm interested in, and then figure out, um, what that will look like, like photographically, you know mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And I like to take my time with things, especially if it's personal and it's for you. Like, I don't necessarily have a time limit Right. For something. So, um,

R. Alan Brooks:

Yeah. Is that stuff mostly portraiture? Well,

Amanda Lopez:

Always portraiture. Yeah. <laugh>. Yeah. Yeah. I like, you know, um, my last project was a project called Guadalupe. Okay. And it was, I grew up Catholic, uh, in a very Catholic family. In a Mexican-American, you know. Yeah. And so, uh, our Lady of Guadalupe, and not, not only is she Mexico's patron saint, but she's also who the church that I grew up going to was named after. Okay. So her image was like super ingrained into my psyche mm-hmm. <affirmative> from the time I was born till now. Okay. And so that was like one project that I worked on, just kind of exploring the ways that she had like, impacted my life, you know.

R. Alan Brooks:

So did you have like a model, uh, dress as Guadalupe, or, I

Amanda Lopez:

Did a lot of different things. Like I, uh, I worked on the project over the course of like 10 years. Oh wow. Just little by little here and there. Um, and then I came to the conclusion like, okay, like projects want to be made Right. But they, for me, they also want to be finished. And so I was like, okay, I've been working on this for a little while. Like, let's, I I like to give myself deadlines. And so in 2019, yeah. Um, December 12th is our Lady of Guadalupe like a feast day. Okay. So I was like, all right, I'm gonna finish this project on December 12th, 2019. And so, uh, that year, 2019, I just like worked on it, uh, you know, as much as I could. Right. You know, and that's tough. So yeah. So yeah. My personal projects, I just kind of like, feed me.

R. Alan Brooks:

That's a great place to be, you know? Uh, cuz I just think, uh, as creators, we have a lot of voices inside and outside our heads. Yeah. You know? Yeah. Telling us what things should be and stuff like that. So Yeah. You can be satisfied by you being satisfied.

Amanda Lopez:

Yeah.

R. Alan Brooks:

Yeah. That's, that's a really dope place to be.

Amanda Lopez:

Yeah.

R. Alan Brooks:

All right. So, uh, I'm almost to the point, you know, I told you I ask everybody about fear. Yeah. I'm almost to the point where we should like, add a music cue that's like dun, dun

Amanda Lopez:

Dun <laugh>. But,

R. Alan Brooks:

But like, how do you, uh, when you're in your artistic process, I guess first how do you experience fear? Mm-hmm. <affirmative>? Like when does it usually come in, and then how do you work through it?

Amanda Lopez:

Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So I experience fear kind of in the beginning stages of like any project mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So whether it's like my own personal work mm-hmm. <affirmative> or like, I'm getting a call to go do something. Yeah. Like, it might be the first feeling that I feel Okay. Like next to excitement. So it's excitement. Yeah. And then it's like, like you said, dun, dun duh. Right. A little fear uhhuh. And then it turns back into excitement. And so the fear doesn't last long. Mm-hmm. It's like this, um, it's almost like a fear of like, oh, I hope I do a good job. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, like, I hope that I'm able to communicate in the photo what I wanna communicate. So it's fear of that, you know. Yeah. Um, but once it turns back to excitement, so excitement, fear, excitement, then I'm like, good. You know? Yeah. But it's, it is part of like my, yeah. My, I guess what I wanna say, it's part of my, like, it comes up in everything that I do. Cycle part of the process. Yeah, exactly.

R. Alan Brooks:

You know, the more artists like you that I talk to, that seems to be a theme Right. Is like, um, when we can just accept that fear is part of the process, then it doesn't mean it has to stop us. Yeah. Right. Like, there's nothing wrong with us for experiencing it. Yeah. But, you know, if it makes our decisions, if it stops us from moving forward, then that's a problem.

Amanda Lopez:

Yeah. Totally. Yeah. Yeah. Fear, it's a funny thing. I used to be ashamed of it. Right? Like, oh, why am I scared? Yeah. Why can't I, you know, it's like a shame. And then you're like, huh, well, it, it doesn't last long, it goes away. And I'm so happy that you just said that because like, oh, a lot of people are experiencing it. Yeah. It's fine. You know, so it's like good to talk to other creative people Yeah. And like, hear that because it makes, it just makes, validates like the process. Right.

R. Alan Brooks:

I don't think there's anybody that I've asked that question maybe I can't think of anybody that asked that question. They were like, no, I don't feel

Amanda Lopez:

Good. <laugh> what you asked me that'd be superhuman if it did. Yeah. <laugh>.

R. Alan Brooks:

So Yeah. It is, it is universal. But I think, uh, the way fear works is by making us feel like something's wrong with us. Yeah. And making us feel like we wanna get smaller and Yeah. You know, like just compressed. And, um, if we keep moving, then it does, it just passes. Yeah,

Amanda Lopez:

That's true. Yeah. Also, the, another thing it brings up for me is like imposter syndrome, right? Yeah. Like, you feel like I feel the fear and I'm like, Ooh, am I the right person for this? Ooh, can I do, you know, like, it's just like, you just start to feel kind of an imposter. Like

R. Alan Brooks:

Yeah. You know, one of the things I think about with imposter syndrome, and I probably have said this before, but, uh, they're, they're two examples. One is, uh, just in general, there are people whose art, I don't like <laugh>, I'm not gonna name anybody but <laugh>, but, but I'm like, they're not ashamed of that shit. <laugh>. You know what I'm saying? <laugh>. Like, so why should I

Amanda Lopez:

Be ashamed? That's hilarious. Right? Yeah.

R. Alan Brooks:

Yeah. And so it's kind of like, that's funny. I take inspiration from the stuff I dislike <laugh>. Yeah.

Amanda Lopez:

Do you know what I'm saying? Yeah, totally. I also think like, too, like, um, like someone can't, like everything, or, or a piece of art can't make everybody feel something or happy, you know? And like, even with like, my work, again, that's like the success of it. Like Right. When I'm like, oh, do I like it? Cool. Cause if someone else doesn't like it, like it, that doesn't Yeah. Make me feel any less success. I'm like, oh, you don't get it, that's cool. Or, oh, you don't like it, that's cool. Cuz again, no one can like everything. Right, right. So yeah. <laugh>. Right.

R. Alan Brooks:

All right. So my other example, there's this, uh, story about Robert Kirkman who created The Walking Dead. Okay. Uh, you're familiar with the show? I am. Yeah. Yeah. So it was a comic book first. Oh, okay. Um, and so when he was going to pitch the comic book to Image comics, the publisher, uh, at the time, horror comics had not done well for, uh, decades. And so, you know, he was like, you know, zombie thing. They were like, well, I don't know, horror comics don't really sell. And he is like, oh, I forgot to tell you the hook. Uh, the zombies are gonna be an advanced team for invading aliens. So then the editor's like, oh, all right, that sounds cool. Let's do it. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So then they've published it, they're like, six months in is doing well, the editor comes back to Kirk, he's like, Hey, I'm glad it's doing well, but I don't see any of the alien stuff. And Kirkman's like, uh, I just made that up so you'll publish it <laugh>,

Amanda Lopez:

You know, that's amazing. Right.

R. Alan Brooks:

And what I take from that is, uh, one, everybody's just making their best guess, you know? Yeah. How many people turn down, uh, Elvis or the Elvis or James Brown? Yeah. Or Michael Jones, whatever, you know what I mean?

Amanda Lopez:

Yeah, yeah. Exactly. Um,

R. Alan Brooks:

Like I was just listening to a podcast today with the creators of, uh, Wednesday, Wednesday at show. Oh, yeah. Netflix, Uhhuh <affirmative>. Yeah. And they're the same guys who created, uh, Smallville. Okay. And they, uh, said when they first went out with it, nobody accepted it except for Netflix. Hmm. Like, they went to every streaming place and everybody turned it down. Hmm. Then, uh, through some process, some things didn't work out. Like with the studio was helping to make it, so then they kind of died. Um, but then they got, uh, Tim

Amanda Lopez:

Burn. Yeah.

R. Alan Brooks:

<laugh>. I dunno why I struggl with it. They it. Thank you. That's okay. They got Tim Burton on it. Right. Uhhuh. And so then they go back out with it. Now they have five episodes written and they got Tim Burton. Yeah. Same thing. Only Netflix bought it. Oh,

Amanda Lopez:

Interesting.

R. Alan Brooks:

And now it's one of the big hits, biggest hits Netflix has ever had. Yeah. Yeah. And it doesn't mean that the people who turned it down were wrong. Yeah. Or like, or bad people per se. Yeah. It just means that like, uh, everybody's guessing. Yeah, yeah,

Amanda Lopez:

Yeah. You know?

R. Alan Brooks:

Totally. And so, like, uh, I think that imposter syndrome for me is like, all right, well if everybody's just making their best guess, you know, um, then they need to just guess all mine. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, yeah. Yeah. But also I think, um, everybody had a first time that they did something. Yeah. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So like, everybody's real, you know, if you make art, you're an artist. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, that's how it goes. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, I think a lot of times we conflate, um, commerce with art, like the ability to make a living Yeah. As if that determines the value of art. And I don't think that's true.

Amanda Lopez:

Yeah. I, I don't, I don't think that's true either. Yeah. Like I was saying earlier, like, I think everybody's an artist. Yeah. You know, I think sometimes people don't even realize it, you know? Right. Like, I'm, I'm sure you have creative friends, you're like, man, you are, you're, you know, like I look at like my mom, you know? Mm-hmm. Like, she's a really creative lady. Yeah. And I don't think she'd call herself an artist. Right. But I look at her, I'm like, she's so creative. You know, like in the way that she puts things together. Like, uh, she, like I was telling you earlier, she enjoys throwing parties and right now she's really big on throwing parties for my, my niece because she's a Covid baby. Ah. And so she didn't get to be around kids Yeah. And missed out on a lot of like, birthday parties. So now she's doing like Halloween parties and Easter parties for her. And like, just in the way that she like puts things together for, for her granddaughter Right. Is like so pretty like beautiful to me, you know? Mm-hmm. Um, yeah. I think everybody has a little creativity in them, you know?

R. Alan Brooks:

I agree. Uh, when you're talking about, uh, your niece, I was thinking about my own niece who's about to turn eight. Um, so the only time I've ever, she lives in, uh, DC mm-hmm. <affirmative>, only time I've ever missed her birthday was the lockdown year. Ah-huh. Um, but in that year we started doing a weekly Zoom. Oh, that's cool. Yeah. And she was like five at the time. Oh, wow. So sometimes the zoom would two minutes, sometimes it'll be two hours. It just depends on,

Amanda Lopez:

You know what Yeah. Her mood. Yeah.

R. Alan Brooks:

<laugh>. But so lately, uh, so I never learned how to play chess just for reasons. I

Amanda Lopez:

Don't know how to play chess either. Okay.

R. Alan Brooks:

You with

Amanda Lopez:

Me Checkers though? Yeah. Right.

R. Alan Brooks:

Checkers I would jump all over the place. Yeah. Yeah. Uh, but she learned how to play chess. Oh wow. And so, uh, so I'm learning to play with her and Oh, that's cool. So she'll send me a link on the Zoom and, you know, we'll play chess on some website or whatever, and that's cool. So she knows I'm learning and she's like, uh, uncle Allen, I see a move at like, you know, G 45 or something. Oh, wow. And so, you know, so I moved there and then she just ran the whole chessboard.

Amanda Lopez:

Oh. And I was

R. Alan Brooks:

Like, oh, for real. Oh, she checked you. Yeah. I was like, I can't trust my niece. She was like,

Amanda Lopez:

That's funny.

R. Alan Brooks:

So I thought that was a That's funny.

Amanda Lopez:

<laugh>, I love that. Kids are the best man. Right. I love, yeah. My sister, her daughter's three, and I'm obsessed with her daughter. She's the best and she's so creative. Yeah. She loves to dress up, she loves to sing. And I'm like in awe of her, you know? Yeah. Like, kids are so creative. Smart.

R. Alan Brooks:

Yeah. I love it. Cause uh, you know, my uncles and aunts, they didn't really, uh, make, uh, any concerted effort to know me. Um, but now that, you know, they're like in their late sixties, seventies, they're like, Hey, you should come visit me. And I don't know them <laugh>. You know what I'm saying?

Amanda Lopez:

Yeah. That's

R. Alan Brooks:

Interesting. So it's a, when my niece was born, I was really, uh, determined mm-hmm. <affirmative> that we were gonna have a relationship.

Amanda Lopez:

Oh, that's awesome.

R. Alan Brooks:

Yeah. So I'm very happy about it.

Amanda Lopez:

That's beautiful. Yeah. And, and even more so cuz she's, you guys are in, in the same city, so it's a, a big, it's an effort and that you're like, happy to make. That's

R. Alan Brooks:

Awesome. Yeah. Yep. So every Wednesday I get hustled in chess. Oh,

Amanda Lopez:

That's beautiful. <laugh>.

R. Alan Brooks:

All right. So, uh, I wanna ask, um, where can people find your stuff online?

Amanda Lopez:

Sure. People can find my stuff on my website. Amanda Lopez photo.com or on Instagram is where I share like the things I'm working on, uh, which is Snapshot Loops. Nice. On Instagram, it's Lopez, my last name is Lopez with a Z. But my Instagram handle is with an s I have a friend who he calls me LOEs. Oh. And so it kind of just stuck Snapshot loops. Uh, but it confuses people sometimes cuz they're like, LOEs or Lopez. I'm like, it's Lopez, but online it's slopes. But yeah. Snapshot loops on Instagram or Amanda Lopez do

R. Alan Brooks:

Com. I know it sounds like a dope ass character. Like

Amanda Lopez:

Yeah, right. <laugh>

R. Alan Brooks:

Like a journalistic photographer or something.

Amanda Lopez:

Yeah. Yeah.

R. Alan Brooks:

Follow their adventures. They're solving mysteries. Yeah.

Amanda Lopez:

Like snapshots. Yeah. Detective <laugh>.

R. Alan Brooks:

Right. Uh, what's next for you artistically? Like where are you, where are you headed? What, you know, what are you?

Amanda Lopez:

Hmm. That's a good question. Uh, artistically, uh, I am, uh, in a couple weeks in, on the West Coast, I'm showing some work in, in a group capacity. Um, and also in December I'm gonna be showing the Guadalupe series that I mentioned earlier. Yeah. Um, that'll be in LA and then just kind of like, um, mentally, like what's next for me is just like slowing down and finding, uh, balance, you know, cuz you know, the creative freelance life, like for me, I'm not so great with like, uh, the work life balance. Right. And so I, I'm working on doing that and I recommend that for all creative people because it can really be, for me it was like, um, it can be like, if I, if I burn out then I won't wanna make art. And so it's really important for me to like slow down and I've just been, um, going so kind of, I've been going so hard for like these past couple of years that I can feel it in myself that I need to like chill and stuff. Yeah. Plus what I'm doing on the Good for you emotional, uh, side. Yeah.

R. Alan Brooks:

Yeah. You know, I just, uh, I just joined the board of Lighthouse Writers Workshop here. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, which is like, if you're an adult and you wanna take writing classes, this is not for grades, it's just, you know. Yeah. And I was uh, meeting with one of the founders and we were talking about how the business of writing takes more time than the actual writing. Yeah. You know, and just the business of being a creative person, like mm-hmm. <affirmative> answering emails, doing taxes. Yes, yes. Uh, all the contacts and, uh, networking that you mentioned. Yes. Uhhuh, <affirmative>, you know, like all that stuff takes up so much time that you have to like, fight for the space to actually do the stuff that made you wanna do this in the, the first

Amanda Lopez:

Place. Yeah, totally.

R. Alan Brooks:

Yeah. It's such an interesting thing cuz you know, you can get caught up in both and burn yourself out in a way that you're talking about. Totally. So good for you that you're taking a step back.

Amanda Lopez:

Yeah, I'm trying to, we'll see. You know, I'm like my own worst enemy. Right. <laugh>. Thanks <laugh>.

R. Alan Brooks:

Yeah. All right. Uh, so one of the things I like to end with is what is inspiring you? Like, what's a geeky pleasure? Like, is it a show, is it a movie? Is it music? Like, what's, uh, inspiring you creatively?

Amanda Lopez:

What's inspiring me creatively? I, you know, I find inspo in all kinds of different places. Uh, I love, like, visual like photo books. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> and magazines. Oh, dope. Uh, and in music, you know, um, these past couple months I haven't had a lot of time to read, but I really enjoy reading as like, cuz I think part of the creative process too right? Is like, is the downtime, right? Like you need the space Yeah. To just think. And I think, and I realized for myself that I haven't been allowing myself this space to like dive into the things that inspire me. Right. Um, because of like the little hamster wheel that you can kinda get caught on. Yep. But, um, you know, this week I picked up a book and it was so nice to like slow down in that way. Right. Cuz that's when the ideas come. And so, um, yeah, like I've been finding inspiration in books and, um, I used to love going to bookstores. There was a tower records by my house when I was growing up. Oh. Where Tower Books. My bad, there was also Tower records in Sacramento. But, um, and I used to love going there. I'd spend hours just like looking at all the magazines and, uh, photo books. And it brings me a lot of joy to do that. Hmm.

R. Alan Brooks:

Yeah. Are there certain periods of like, photography that appeal to you more?

Amanda Lopez:

You know what, I grew up, um, in like the nineties, two thousands mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And so like, um, I'm really, I was one of the first kinda inspirations in my photo work was like hiphop photography. Okay. So like the Jonathan Manan of the world, Estevan Orioles, like, uh, guys that were really out there, um, documenting hiphop culture. Yeah. Like the work, the photos from like the late nineties, early two thousands of, uh, you know, of all these different hiphop artists are like stunning. The level production is like incredible. Hmm. And that particular era of like photography. Yeah. I, I love, I go back to all the time, you know, um, and also like Annie Lebowitz is like another inspo and like during that time she was making it. I, I, I like all the stuff that she does, but she was making really exceptional work, like during that period when I was in high school and college, like looking at all these magazines, you know?

R. Alan Brooks:

Yeah. So that's really interesting. So during that, that that period of, uh, hiphop photography, when you got to photograph Snoop, did that connect for you?

Amanda Lopez:

Yeah. I mean, that was like a big moment. Yeah. You know, because I had, uh, some of my photo idols had been working with him for a long time Yeah. And to like get that opportunity also kind of felt like a sign from the universe. Okay. You're on the right path. That's really what's kept me going, you know, like yeah. The support of my family, but also like the universe nudging me. Like, okay, you're on the right path. You got this. You know? And I think it's important to like, have those moments, you know? Right. So that's dope. Yeah. Yeah.

R. Alan Brooks:

All right. Is there anything else that you wanna share about, uh, what you're working or plug anything or you feel, uh, you got all the good stuff in?

Amanda Lopez:

Yeah, the last thing I'm working on, and this is gonna be a long term project that I just started, um, excuse me, last year, is I'm photographing underrepresented artists and country music. Mm. Oh. Um, and so I, it's self-funded. So I go to Nashville when I can, uh, and document or make portraits with folks that, um, haven't been represented in the mainstream arena. Um, country music has a lot of stereotypes that are, um, I should back up and say like, I'm really interested in like, highlighting underrepresented folks, like as a Latina who didn't grow up seeing herself and, you know, museums and photo books and, and anything that's a passion of mine. And, uh, one of my cousins when I was like, I don't know, nine, introduced me to country music and it's kind of been this like little secret of mine because <laugh> everyone always says, I like everything in about country music. And I don't blame them because there's a lot of, there's a lot of things that I don't like about the mainstream, but what I realize is there's so many, um, B I P O C B LGBTQ artists making music Yeah. That you aren't hearing on the radio right now, but you can find 'em on Spotify. You can find them online. Hmm. Their music is amazing. It makes, and that makes me feel more open to saying, yeah, I like country music. And so it's something that I've been working on.

R. Alan Brooks:

Thank you for talking about that. That's dope. Thanks. There's a, a reality show.

Amanda Lopez:

Yeah. I haven't seen it yet, but actually one of the hosts, Mickey Gaton, she was one of the first black country singers that I learned about. Yeah. I found her music on Spotify. Okay. And her song came up and I was like, who is singing right now? And I saw that who it was, I was like, she's amazing. So I googled her and I was like, she is a black country singer. Uh, and she made me proud to be Yeah. To like country music, you know? So what she's doing actually is incredible in that space. Like, she's a huge advocate for change and Absolutely. So I love

R. Alan Brooks:

It. I tell you, like, uh, I never grabbed around the country myself, but my mom and my sister super into it. Like Oh, nice. To the point where we're like, we'll be, you know how like you're in a store and they play music or like in a movie theater beforehand. Yeah. And they'll be singing along and I'll be like, how do you guys know song? Oh, I

Amanda Lopez:

Love that. Well, yeah. Well, you know, there's a lot of parallels in like country music to Mexican culture. Huh. And so as I dive in deeper into this project, like, you know, I'm connecting a lot of dots. Yeah. You know, like there's, uh, Cheto music is pretty much country music Okay. And Spanish, you know, and so even the style Yeah. Like the, the, uh, all of my uncles, my theos Yeah. Are out here in cowboy boots and hats, you know? Right. And so it's, they're not necessarily listening to country music, but this, there's a lot of just simil similarities Right. That I'm uncovering and there's crossovers and stuff. And so yeah. It's something I'm working on slowly. That's really

R. Alan Brooks:

Interesting. Yeah. Uh, I did live in Asheville, North Carolina from ages of two to eight, and I got really into bluegrass music. Oh, nice. And I like bluegrass better than country for mm-hmm. <affirmative>, uh, a couple reasons, but one is, uh, a lot of bluegrass songs have a strong narrative structure mm-hmm. <affirmative> like very, like strong storytelling in the ways to hip hop does. Yeah. And a lot of like, play on words and stuff like that. And some country has that, but, uh, gravitated towards the stuff in bluegrass. And for some reason I love the banjo.

Amanda Lopez:

Oh, that's awesome. Well, that is an instrumental part of country music. Well said. Yeah. So <laugh> <laugh>. Yeah. So, yeah, that makes sense. Right on. Yeah.

R. Alan Brooks:

All right, well I appreciate you taking time. Yeah. Thanks for having to talk to me, Amanda. Yeah. Yeah. And, uh, just wanna make sure it's on the recording. Props to your hat game.

Amanda Lopez:

Oh, thank you. Thank you. My sister hooked it up. Right. She gave me this hat <laugh>.

R. Alan Brooks:

Special thank you to today's guest, Amanda Lopez. Thank you. To the listeners, if you're not already, please be sure to subscribe to How Art is Born, wherever you get your podcast, from our episodes. And if you can leave a review, it really helps us out. Check out MCA Denver on YouTube and subscribe to the channel to watch the video version of this podcast and give behind the scenes clips from today's episode. Visit Mc Denver's current exhibition Breakthrough Celebrating Red Line at 15 on View now on until May 28th, 2023. How Are Is Born, is produced and edited by Dele Johnson and executive produced by Courtney Law. Additional thanks to Rachel for their work on marketing support for this.