It's been a minute, huh? Well we begin with a fresh new interview with Sandro Alberto Galicia Toledo an artist and coffee lover. I met Sandro oooooof way back! I remember when Sandro would vend at Labyrinth Coffee in Mcallen and he would be showing his frog stickers, frogs wearing cowboy hats or shaped as Texas as well. Seeing Sandro, seeing his artwork change through experimentation and the collections he creates. There's always something new! Speaking of something new Sandro mentions "as of recently I’ve been really enjoying rótulos mexicanos. It’s so cool to see how rotulistas work and are able to create all these hand made signs." You can see his new piece on Instagram @face2face956
Do you have any shout outs you'd like to give out?
Shout out to everyone who has supported me and showed any kind of interest in what I create. Y’all the best
I begin by asking Sandro, how would you describe your art style? If you could give it a name what would it be and why? (when i say name "name" create your own art style name for it)
I would call it Sandrito. Only because most of the stuff I do is characters or style of other cartoon artists that I saw as a kid or now. Cartoons are like other worlds you can immerse yourself in and I would do that as a kid a lot. I’d imagine myself being in them or believed they’d be able to come out of the tv.
Honestly my new favorite question asking artists is THIS! I love it! SANDRITO TYPE BEAT! The immersion created is so important if a cartoon/show can create that. If it can create you yearning in a sense to see what their world is like then it did the job. Making the world feel ALIVE and "real" is amazing. Now that you mention this I can really imagine an animal or better yet "Sandrito" taking the polaroids of the animals from your polaroid collection. Saying "cheese" *click* (the image being a cat with cool sunglasses)
I remember when I would first see your art work and when you would vend. It was centered around frogs/toads? Was there something about frogs/toads you enjoyed creating art work around?
Yea! Crazy how you’ve literally been there since the beginning. Big thankful! So it all started with a inktober and I thought it would be funny to make each topic into frogs. Also loved playing with toads as a kid and seeing sculptures of them in every corner of my tias or my house. There’s also a nostalgic feel to them.
Well Sandro, it was more than "funny" it was pretty cool! Creating a wide variety of pieces based around frogs, based around amphibians you personally enjoy. Hmmmm inktober is around the corner. I wonder what he'll have for us.
As time went on I want to say there was a shift? Experimentation with styles/colors/characters. What happened?
There was alooooot of experiments for sure. I would do a lot of flash, realism, and watercolor stuff at the beginning but I figured out the more I went that less is best. A lot of traditional flash has bold lines, bright colors and shading so I like to keep that still when I create new things. Dan Santoro was a big eye opener of what I can do with my style.
Yes, I do notice the traditional bold lines on your characters, the bright colors, especially the colors you use. They can be playful, but what's great is the color choice you choose certainly matches what you're going for.
With everything that I've seen I want to ask. What is it about yourself personally that you put onto your work/onto the characters you create?
A lot of coffee related characters are pretty much other baristas that I work with or seen in the industry. The color yellow would have to be the only thing that is personally about myself. My mom would say that I loved the color yellow as a kid and creating art made me fall in love with yellow again.
One of my biggest secrets is that I love the color baby blue, but the reason why is because of my mom. She bought me this hand printed t shirt downtown mcallen with a design of 2 kittens in the front and I thought it was the coolest thing ever as a kid. Ever since then I loved the color baby blue and the memory attached to it as well. I have a soft spot for colors like that now.
What comes to your mind when working around certain themes/collections such as "star vision" "cumbia" "coffee" "polaroid pets." How did some of these come to be?
The first thing that comes to mind is shapes or visions. Star vision is cartoon characters that I view as celebrities and they’re stars to me but also reminders that we are all stars of our own lives. Cumbia is an ode to my dad and me appreciating the music and culture I grew up with. Coffee related stuff is appreciation to the coffee industry and how it’s a skill to grow, roast and make coffee. Polaroid pets is my appreciation to animals and how they can make people happy by just living.
Y'know growing up I wasn't exactly a big fan of cumbias or spanish music in general until a couple of years ago. I finally understood, understood the songs played that came out the radio in the kitchen as my mom counted beans or was on her sewing machine. I have the Cumbia Rat print on my wall and sometimes I hear a little tune coming out of it. Sometimes I can picture the rats hands playing the tune like a cartoon. Okay I won't lie looking at the pet with the swag glasses makes me happy and the cat too!
Do you have any projects you are currently working on or are planning?
Yea! I have a couple in mind. Mostly rótulos and bigger stuff. Also want to execute more collaborations with other valley artists.
Alaaa un collab! We shall see what comes up hmmmm
What is it about the art you create that helps you express yourself?
I can express many of what interests me onto the characters or sayings that I create. I am able to either express the music, colors or quotes that help me get out of that dark place. As someone who suffers from depression and anxiety I can help create reminders or characters that can hopefully help people smile just by looking at it.
The colors, the colors! The message, the memories attached. The thoughts. While Sandro releases what he enjoys and what he wishes to express. I remember seeing the most recent zine he created with his characters. It's like a mini coloring book. Sandro is literally evoking child like creativity out of me because I want to color it soooo bad! My deadass will color outside the line, but that's the fun of it! Thank you, Sandro. I always look back to the Garfield Star Vision piece as well. I love that one.
What kind of feedback have you received about your art work?
It’s been mostly great feedback from everyone. It’s always great to see people’s face light up as they see all the monitos.
The monito coloring book zine has me giddy frrrr! I especially like that you give them names.The dog wearing the glasses reminds me of Odie, Madison's dog every time.
With the amount of years you've been making art, how has it been for you? Always changing, always trying something new.
It’s been a life changer for sure. I feel like I’ve found my purpose in life. I’m always up to learn new things in art or learn a new skill. Change is great especially when it’s a good change.
What are your thoughts on the local valley scene?
I love it. Everyone has been so supportive of what I do and inspiring. No one has been a gatekeeper. I love that we’re all here to help each other.
Any final comments
Thank you for letting me part of this interview and letting me be able to answer these great questions! ¡Échale ganas!
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