Yari is an artist and a member of the collective group called Art Depot! I always see the group stationed at Harlingen Art Night alongside other markets (that one time in Mcallen at Modern Vintage). It's not just a table of art, but array of artist that I'd say focus on a specific craft, have their distinct art style and this really distinguishes them on who is WHO! I do plan on interviewing the members of Art Depot, but first we have Yaris @yo.ypee @_artdepot_
Starting off I want to ask Yari what she's been enjoying as of recently as she says" I’ve surprisingly been enjoying teaching art to children. That does not stop me from always complaing about it though because kids can be a pain but it’s rewarding work to say the least which is not something I would’ve ever expected. I always felt like I didn’t have the patience or the knowledge to teach others but turns out I do so it’s been a nice change of pace. I’ve also been teaching myself new skills and techniques with different mediums especially paper and film photography for some bigger projects I have in mind." I mean my first job straight out of UTRGV was working with a non-profit organization that dealt with children. I worked with pre-k to 5th grade. Something out of left field due what studied in, but it was really an experience worth having! Ooooo some new projects, looking forward to that.
Any shout outs you'd like to give out?
"I’d like to shout out all my friends in art depot @hey_jda, @melons.art, @ebelenarts! My mentors Mrs. Munoz, Mr. Martinez, and Mr. Hawks (a professor at UTRGV) that continue to inspire me along with every talented artist in the valley. I wish I could list them all but it’s endless just like the talent that comes from the 956 it’s relentless and endless!"
Now Yari, could you tell us a little bit about yourself and the art you create? What medium calls to you the most as she says " Mmm that’s always such a hard question to answer but to name 5 of my favorite things in the world to give you insight into the person I am. I love quality time with loved ones, traveling, ALL soups, ceramics, and adventure time! The medium I’ve fallen in love with would be ceramics since that’s been the first time a medium has always given me the chance to create without putting much thought into it." I love that you went off and just gave me 5 of your favorite things. I feel like it all ties in together. Soups with loved ones, soup + Adventure Time + loved ones, or ceramics created for soups! Y'know I've never taken a ceramics class or even held the clay to make one (is it clay? I think it is), but I'm sure after one class I'd be HOOKED!
Looking at your ceramics, they're so...intricate! What compels you to create these shapes, these objects? As Yari shares by saying "I like to experiment with different forms but for the most part I just do whatever I think looks cool. However, my interests in T.V shows, memories, and experiences I’ve had also come into play with some pieces. There’s only a selected few that have a specific meaning to me and even then I didn’t realize that until after I made them. However 90 percent of the ceramics I’ve made have little to no meaning honestly. Which is why I think I like ceramics so much because it’s the only medium that’s allowed me to think as little as possible and still comes as easily to me when creating a new piece. I’ve never made the same thing twice; I think clay is so versatile you can make absolutely anything out of it. With each piece I make, the clay really decides itself what it wants to be on the wheel and after that I simply decide what would look cool on it. Whether it be testing out my painting skills because I’m inspired by tattoo culture, dreams, experiences, nature, or simply just because I think of something that would be cool to add like spikes or perhaps cutting into the clay to mess with negative space. I feel like this is a vague and confusing answer but I’m still learning and trying to figure out what inspires me as well as the significance my ceramics hold besides it being functional and pretty to look at. Or maybe that’s truly all that it is sometimes who knows ?:)" As I was reading your response I was literally thinking to myself "it's as if the clay is guiding her" but as I continued you mentioned "the clay really decides itself what I wants to be on the wheel." I think what what allows it all to happen. It's in the act of playing, being hands on with something reminiscent. Such as playing with play-dough as a child for example. The numerous creations and mixtures of various colors and even after we put it away it goes back to its original shape ready to be morphed into something NEW. I can see if you stop and think about then perhaps it won't turn out as expect or to your liking? hmmmm
I wouldn't say this answer was vague because it stirred my curiosity and now I wish to tackle the WHEEL and the BEAST (the clay).
Especially, what got you into ceramic making as she mentions a memory "I think seeing professor hawks throw on the wheel the very first time inspired me. He threw a ball of clay and made it into one of his infamous jugs in a matter of seconds with such ease and pride. I think I just wanted to know the feeling that came along with a medium you’re accustomed to as he showed." I think that's how I got into the act of screen printing. I haven't made my own design, but always seeing folks rub the paint onto fabric or even making posters, caught my attention. Being able to see the design come out fully is just so cool. I understand that, and now that I do that. Oh yeah, it's fun.
One of your more recent posts, you mentioned "it's cool that I remembered I can draw." Is drawing a medium you've distanced yourself from? Do other mediums call your attention? "Sadly, drawing is definitely a medium I’ve distanced myself with for sure. For myself I find it unbelievably hard to create a new drawing everyday or often because it takes me too long to not only think of a subject to draw but also have the patience for it. Sometimes I’ll have an idea and then don’t know how to approach it since there’s so many mediums and styles to choose from. With clay it’s so effortless and simple for my mind to choose what to make. I don’t necessarily know why that is, maybe it’s because if you’re ever in a art block then with ceramics it doesn’t really matter because you can throw simple forms on the wheel and call it a day." It is two very different things to tackle, especially mentally. Why strain yourself doing one thing when you enjoy the other. Especially when there's other ways to experiment with clay or even the other things you wish to partake in. The art is for yourself and what you enjoy. It's kinda how I don't do video work, because it reminds me too much of news editing, but with typing or writing I can be much more expressive. I totally understand.
I love the title of it as well
Could you share a bit about the "to be a girl is to perform"
"This piece was probably the most liberating and heartbreaking drawings I’ve ever done because of the meaning behind it. It’s about how it feels to be a woman, whether that be a women of color, trans women etc.. Any and all women n today’s society. What it’s grown to mean as the world becomes scarier and more threatening to women everywhere. It’s like a cruel joke. I sometimes feel like a cruel joke. The bows, pose, expression, clown aesthetic, and the faun itself is how I choose to interpret how it feels to conform to the social pressures upheld by men who want to rule this world and the people within it. The bows wrapped around the fawns mouth represent oppression. Women need to look the part, PREFORM the part, and not speak out of line otherwise it’ll ruin the view others have of us that they deem are 'correct'. To be a girl is to preform, and while that is a feeling that women have always known it is not something that will never tie us down as the floating ribbons on the legs of the faun represent."
When creating, do you feel as if these pieces can represent you for your interests, what you enjoy,or thoughts? What would you say you put into your pieces that's YOU as she says "I definitely do I feel like I’ve come up with a style that is my own finally as an artist and while it is rough along the edges I do know what I like to make and create within my work. Which revolves solely around my interests and thoughts. My art work is very selfish. I feel like I can be a selfish person sometimes because the art I make is solely for myself or my loved ones but if people like it and can relate to it then it does mean the world to me. My pieces can come off as goofy, ominous, sad, or detailed as told to me by people around me. This speaks to the very person I am. I am all those things and I put my all into any piece that I set my mind to meaning that it will be very detailed and well made, never half assed."
Is it "rough around the edges" or is that just ones own touch of charm into a piece that makes it "unique?" I'd say it's okay to be selfish when it comes to ones work. It's YOURS and if it's for loved ones, then there's the intention. Especially when it comes to the viewer, we enjoy relatability and knowing there's someone else like US. I will say, I enjoy looking at your work and it even pieces such as "your mommas house" has reached out to me by viewing at it.
Do you have any favorite pieces you'd like to share? If so, which ones and why?
"If I had to say drawings, then I would say 'your mommas house', a pointillism drawing that I made about a year ago. That drawing is a love letter to downtown Brownsville, because of the community there and the memories it holds; it’s where I feel at home. The other drawing would be my 'To be a girl is to perform' drawing because of the significance it holds to me as a woman in today’s society. A favorite ceramic piece of mine is really hard to decide on because I love all of my ceramics. Although I feel that is really egotistical of me to say, but all of my ceramics deal with my interests so it makes sense HAHA. However, it would have to be my ceramic telephone called 'yellow?' Because of the audio that I recorded on a greeting card recorder to put into it. It means the world to me because it’s a spliced audio of all the conversations I’ve had over the years with my friends. It sounds like a bunch of smashed up voices together along with a lot of laughter and just talks with my loved ones while it plays 'brain is the most beautiful' by memo boy in the background cause that song reminds me of them." Yellow is so beautiful, it reminded of this exhibition I went to once. I was told to put on these headphones and what was playing was the sounds of her home. The radio playing a Spanish channel with a hint of static, voices, and movements. It felt like home to me, childhood. Thinking about yellow, reminds me of my photo albums. I love things like that. I wouldn't say egotistical because they're yours! haha
How did you become an Art Depot collective member? As she explains by saying "I always love telling this story even tho it’s so simple and not quite exciting but nonetheless a wholesome story I love to tell. My friends and I met in high school through an art class we all collectively took. As a freshman my mom also worked at the high school I went to so she knew teachers and figured I would get along with this one teacher named Mrs. Munoz. She was right and eventually Munoz became my mentor, friend, chosen family, along with the friends I made there. She had an AP Art class that she told me about and that’s how I ended up meeting Eve and Mel; Jaz and me had gone to the same middle school together previously so I already was friends with her! Eventually we had our own little art club which was named the Art department by the theater kids we helped make sets for. This was also the way we raised money to go on an art club trip rather than go to prom cause WE’RE NERDS and wanted to go to the McNay Art Museum located in San Antonio instead. However we wanted to raise more money for the trip so we decided that since we work so well together that we should sell art at the local farmers market and school festivals which is how art depot took its first baby steps. We decided to make it our own special thing and named it 'Art depot' instead of '
'The Art Department' since our mentors studio was called that and we were just the babies that were born from it hence Art depot, baby version of the Art department. We face painted, sold buttons, (shrinky dink) key chains and earrings, that were quite honestly cringe and horribly amateur compared to the art we create now. However, it’s still really funny and bittersweet to look back at what we’ve done and to remember how proud we felt making such things. After a couple of markets and late night crafting sessions either at school or during sleepovers we decided that we really enjoyed creating art together. Bouncing off each others ideas and inspiring one another to continue to create, talk, laugh, experience all kinds of moments together which is what made us decide to keep art depot alive despite life, as it goes on. We’ve had moments where we’ve stopped creating but it always comes back around and we start again where we left off which is really nice :))" That was beautiful, it's not "simple" its deep, friendship is rooted in the bonds created with one another. Don't ever stop sharing this story, give them the details, share this wonderful story of "girlhood" I'd say. Something a group of friends created at youth and have continued. My first time, this will stick to my mind like glue. Especially now walking up to their booth. Art Depot.
How was your 2024 - I Am Home, Installation? Looking through your canva site I'm so overwhelmed by them all. Especially with Your Mommas House and its message. How was the initial feedback? "The installation process was a bit of a nightmare but luckily I’m blessed with amazing freinds in my life and mentors to guide me so everything went smoother that I thought. However, I did have an incident with my ceramic moon that was suppose to be a big part of the installation. I wanted to depict a childhood drawing with a poorly drawn house, fence and a sun. I didn’t use a sun but rather a moon because a moon has always held more significance to me in my life. But long story short it fell and shattered because the reinforcements we had on it didn’t hold. I SADLY underestimated the weight of it; I mean it was a big thing, like mamalona sized! AHAHAH! But I made it super thin so I thought it would be fine. Turned out I was so wrong…Anyways luckily no one got hurt and the moon fell while no one was around so I’m grateful for that! Besides that, the turn out for the event was amazing! I met so many wonderful people at the show and even had a line to go inside my tiny house which was so awesome to see! As for feedback everyone seemed to enjoy it and I talked to so many people about their thoughts and views with my theme. My professor did have a comment based off my artist statement which was that I should’ve put more thought behind my words on what my installation meant to me. I do agree with what he said and wish I could’ve have worked on my statement more but only having one semester to build a whole insulation for the Art show is definitely not enough time! However, I hope I get the opportunity to rebuild my house again (maybe houses if I get to do my own solo show!) and give a proper artist statement to my audience :))" THE MOOONNNNNNN :SOB: other than I will wish an exhibition for you (I'll host it for you ahhh) I have also added the canva link at the bottom!
I want to ask about a specific word in your installation exhibition, "girlhood" and what would you say that word evokes? As yourself, the artist, a bearer of experiences, an individual sharing a home with your friends in the RGV.
"Girlhood is sacred and evokes strength that reminds me of the purest forms of friendship I have in my life. These have taken a lot of work to form and prosper which can only happen through time and shared experiences. With the fellow women in my life we hold onto our girlhood by holding space to freely be ourselves that isn’t tied to the social constructs of society. We’re allowed to be as childish, free willing, feminine, emotional, unapologetically us in that moment with no judgements."
Is there anything you wish to experiment with as you continue with your artwork?
"Theres so many things I’d love to experiment with like textile art, glass art, digital art, furniture design, metal work, new media! Absolutely anything really, I love crafting and learning new techniques, especially if it can enhance the work I know how to do already. A goal would be to definitely do more interactive installations and eventually build a whole community of little houses that people can walk through. But besides that there’s just lots of things I want to do! I want to do everythinggggg I can with my bear hands!" FURNITURE DESIGN?! METAL WORK!? Sheeeesh! I can already imagine the interactive installation. The colors, the shapes and the sizes of it all.
Your thoughts on the art community within the valley?
The art community in the valley is growing everyday which is very inspiring to see. I’ve noticed now there’s more opportunities for not only young artists but the local shops in the valley to grow as our community gets bigger. I think that’s because of how welcoming and warm of a presence our community has built! Artist supporting artists all the way with any endeavors they decide to take on. I love it completely! RAZA ALL THE WAY !
Any final comments you'd like to make?
Thank you for asking such thoughtful invoking questions as well as always supporting art depot it truly means the world to me and my friends! I hope that you and everyone who read this far (if you did ur a trooper cause I KNOW I CAN YAP IM SORRY AHAHA) is safe, healthy, and staying strong during these times!! Don’t forget to help one another and lift each other up :)) also if yall need ceramics you know where to find me !!! Commissions are open by the way :3
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