This week's feature is iÑO a local artist within our community. I actually think I've met him before at a Sauce House event. He was selling his artwork along with some stickers. I remember it pretty well because it was my first time also meeting Ghosttownvintage956 along with some others. I remember a lot of people from these events of course through our first impressions and they were really nice! Which leads us to this week's weekly feature iÑO, @art_de_ino
iÑO shares a little bit about what's been up to recently such as "I have become extremely fond of seclusion recently. Being able to spend my day or night alone in my thoughts, thinking about how I can expand myself or write new ideas, concepts, ideas, occasionally poetry. I find I’m more at peace focusing on my career than socializing at this point. My friends can vow for me on that one, I tend to be busy Painting or doing other related projects for my Business as an Artist." I can understand wanting to push yourself forward and figuring ways to progress. It can certainly also take a toll thinking on all the possibilities and actions needed or that we think we need to take to reach a certain point. It takes work for sure, but I'm sure iÑO can do it and he has the support from his friends as well along with anyone else.
He continues by sharing his favorite local individuals "Definitely Going to need to shout-out tvFlesh for making my #1 & #2 slot in my Most listened music on my Spotify this past year. They definitely hit the spot when it came to any emotion I was trying to vibe along with while painting or simply kicking back. Now I Owe the world to Turt and Gonzo both Vintage Apparel Sellers!! (@956tur @thegonzoarchives) They not only helped me initialize the start of vending from giving me a table to setup on but gave me the first real push and confidence to get myself out to sell my works. They have showed me nothing but support from the beginning and continue to now. They provided me with over 80 shirts to tag/sign/customize all to give away for free at a venue one night. Definitely would not be where I am today without them nor as geared up with fly vintage apparel." The one song that always on my repeat and was on my yearly most played songs was "Bad Acid." I remember having TVFlesh perform for us at College Radio Day at UTRGV which was amazing!
I also met Turt at Sauce House and he's a really nice guy. Everyone that was selling at these events always brought the heat. It's nice to know that he certainly has the support and the drive to keep going forward.
Now that we know a little bit about iÑO what can be said about his name? Where did it come from? He goes on to explain "So this story takes place in 2017. I had gained an interest in aerosol art otherwise known as spray paint, graffiti, and or tagging. In the beginning for about 2-3 weeks Signing Trev, The first four letters in my last name. My last name being Treviño can be translated in Spanish to 3 vines or 3 Vineyards (Tre-Vino.) This could be a link to my Seasonal Alcoholism or possibly just an excuse, lol. Anyways 2-3 weeks pass and I came to a halt where I stood at the end of a Tagged “Trev…” I continued to finish my last name for the first time signing “iÑO.” It was immediately while and after the motion of spelling iÑO with my spray can that it just felt soo right. From here on Naming and calling myself iÑO to close friends and family. Starting in the streets tagging, I adopted a ski mask a close friend of mine gave to me. It would be a couple of years until I take this name to Heart and Create my Art Page/Persona based around it." That's really interesting! I can only imagine how it must have felt or the feeling of something clicking or hitting you coming to the realization of what was in front of you.
Reading his Instagram bio it says "self-taught" but how did the progress into being a "masked multi style/medium artist” begin? As he begins with "Out of High school, I was starting my Civil Engineering basics early due to attending an early college. Now Im not going to lie and say the classes weren’t hard, they were but they were doable. It was one morning I awoke starring at the ceiling in my dorm that I thought to myself I did no longer want to be an Engineer. I did not find myself with a burning passion, just seeking the comfort in the paycheck. It was this morning that I decided I wanted to pursue Art and make it big or die trying. I decided then and there and have Not looked back. I adopted the Mask and persona from my early years of iÑO and with my art page having under 100 followers I dropped out. Growing up with my favorite mathematician being portrayed in the film “A beautiful Mind” John Nash would not go to Class because he believed they dulled the mind. I adopted this very concept and promised myself not to burden myself with a professor who more than likely is a failed artist having to teach. Now I may be wrong for this but all mediums can be self-taught with the right kind of discipline and with art being subjective who is anyone to critique me or any artist for that matter. The people in Van Gogh’s time disliked his work and look at his name now. I fall into different self inflicted fads, concepts, and ideas but I can never find myself sticking to one specific style. I love the part of my job that lets me experiment with all types of works from Abstraction, to Contemporary, and Expressionism, etc. I use these different techniques or styles to help me portray what I am trying to reflect. So my style/medium tends to be the initial Concoction to building off what I need You to Feel. This is then followed by color, hue, etc. but it all depends on my emotions really." When it comes to art and school it makes me confused. Confused due to the way of how it can be "graded" for not meeting a certain criteria for reaching that grade when the student probably did their best or did what they wanted to do and that's just my thoughts on it, but going from Engineering to Art now that's something. I know at times we can think about what we would like to do. We can take the jump and see where it takes us, but we don't want to go through the consequences if it doesn't go well. Sometimes we just have to take a chance which has lead iÑO to where he is now. Taking the chance and being able to say "I love the part of my job and ideas" but "I can never find myself sticking to one specific style" because that's being able to try new things and experiment which is good! Which I can see what he means by "self taught" and "all mediums can be self taught."
With all the mediums he has worked with which one is his favorite? He says "I have the Biggest Love/Hate Relationship with Oil Paint. I can’t say I have a favorite but if I could only continue with one medium I would have to keep My Oils." This reminds me of @murdermitteninc on our post she mentioned she disliked paints, but enjoyed sharpies, color pencils and so on. She explained the reasoning behind the paints which was really interesting, but oils seem interesting as well. I have never worked with them nor do I know if there a process for those as well.
From his favorite medium or rather his most enjoyed is there one he would like to develop/grow as he says " So for the longest time I have tried getting into Sculpture but I can never find myself loving any final products of mine, so they have yet to be shown to my followers. Jewelry as well has come with its trivialities and I can not seem to land on any single pair of earrings I have made to be my first release. The perfect Sculpture and Jewelry will come but for now I do not worry. " With having worked on so many mediums I'm sure iÑO will be able to create his first set of jewelry and sculptures soon for the public and himself. For now we can only imagine what those sculptures could have been.
Stating his love for oils and what he would to like to develop, but what about his favorite piece? What can he tells us about his favorite piece created so far "I fall in and out of love with my works but there is one Art piece I have created that Has and Can bring me to tears when I stare at it in the flesh. Many of my works have done so but this piece never seems to fail when it comes to the amount of emotion the work carries. 'Judgment Day' Was painted and had eyes pasted from a separate work of mine. The Eyes seen in the piece are cut from an aerosol print of my original 'Huerco' Digital art piece. Written on Instagram is stated as follows 'From the abstract skulls and abstract bodies twisted in tangles, there is an abundance of hidden images within this work. Followed by the big set of eyes looking down on you with an uneasy feeling of judgment being laid down, I really love how intense this painting naturally sets the mood and tones to what many believe will be our last day living on earth.' Judgment Day, Definitely a contender for my favorite." Without reading this and looking at the images I certainly did feel "an uneasy feeling of judgement being laid down" that I switched tabs on my computer. It came off strong, but looking at it again it certainly is a strong piece, but amazing as well. There is also "hidden images" in this work as well as stated which I would say take your time with it and take it all in.
Looking through the work of iÑO some of the art work that would be posted would have a story or an experience he had connecting it to the art work which is really interesting to which I had to ask why? "Amy Cappellazzo, The Chairman of the Fine Art division of Sotheby’s once said That, 'There are 3 types of people When it came down to Art. There are Those who Can see, Those Who can be Lead to see, and Those who will Never see.' After this realization I made the decision to give my best explanations to my work when possible. If Those who can see get to Enjoy my Work, Why not decipher my work enough to help guide those a nudge closer to making an understanding of my Art. It is small things like this that I try and apply to my work or dynamic to Help myself get better at what I do." I really enjoy reading the description under his work and it gives me the viewer a bit more insight on it as well. If you go through his posts be sure to take a second to read what he has left behind. It certainly is worth the read.
The last thing I noticed is iÑO's link on his bio which leads you to buy art supplies which he explains "So amid the pandemic I found myself wanting to expand and make more of a professional network to sell my art work. I often ask myself or seek what some of the greatest artists of our time have done and try and apply them to myself to build upon or develop. The whole idea of trying to get my Art out into the world coincides with the concept of Inspiring people to then put their own emotions, ideas, concepts into works of art themselves. I had to then make the decision if I wanted to invest in a website to help get supplies out and to help platform my works in a more professional fashion. After a week of learning how to build my Site I went live and definitely had my ups and downs of learning to run it efficiently but after such time I am now able to offer a huge variety of supplies in many different forms, mediums, and styles. All in the same place you can see/read up on or make a purchase of an iÑO original." If you are looking to create artwork or just express yourself you can find supplies on the link provided on his Instagram or if you wish to buy an original piece.
iÑO's thoughts on the local scene in the valley,
"The local scene definitely has its hidden Gems. We all happen to share one major similarity and That is as Artists from Visual to Musicians etc. we are in one of the hardest markets in the World and that being Said I wish Luck to everyone and their Dreams."
Along with his final thoughts,
"I would Like to give a huge Thank You to my Father, Mom, Step-Dad and Two younger sisters whom have always stood by my side. Dropping out of school they were not too happy but after some time they recognized my dedication and came around. I cant say doing what I do is easy but having a strong support system next to me keeps me going forward and that being said I owe My family The World. Lastly a huge thank you to my Dad again who let me Stay at his place for sometime after dropping out and eventually my Grandparents/Aunt for letting me crash at their house for a while before I eventually got an apartment with two roommates. I now live alone in my own Apartment and if it were not for all these people in my life I would possibly not be here."
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