Through a recent conversation with Cande Aguilar I realized that I hadn't answered my own questions..so I thought why not give it a shot.
Many thanks to all the painters and advocates that have contributed there valuable responses to The Art of Brownsville. Thanks to all the readers and supporters of the arts... Send in your Charro Day pictures jpeg so we can post here on TAOB.. brownsvilleartform@yahoo.com
TAOB: Where were you born and what do you remember most about your childhood ?
TREVINO: I was born in Brownsville, and raised as a child in both Brownsville and Matamoros. My memories as a child always start crossing the bridge, watching the indigenous and crippled beggars knocking at the car windows at the bridge, paleteros and their carts, riding in las peseras driving down Sexta with my brothers and my mom on our way to visit famalia, watching my mom make flour tortillas for some frijoles refritos tacos, the roar of the crowed when Mr. Amigo passed during the Charro Day parade, buying chips with food-stamps, walking in downtown Brownsville where my mother sold shoes at a store called San Shu and the 50 off store, the drug scene that plagued my old neighborhood by the Cameron County Courthouse, playing football at the Boys Club, getting snacks at the Goodneighbor, watching my two oldest brothers fight about nothing, sleeping on the floor, and walking the railroad tracks and the allies by the Edlestein Park waiting for my dad to come home from work.
TAOB: Describe your art?
TREVINO: My art is always evolving, from abstract to surrealist, I couldn't say I am a cubist painter or a neo-expressionist, once I thought my art reflected a post Chicano style, my most recent work is more of a graphic artist, in simple my work contributes to the evolution of art, so maybe I am an evolutionist, but I couldn't say what tomorrow may bring until I paint it….
TAOB: Why do you think art is important and how do you feel your art contributes to that purpose?
TREVINO: Art has been important to the history of man kind, if not the foundation of his principles, in our society “Brownsville” it helps define our culture of who we are, what we think about and how we value our own understanding of life.
TAOB: As an artist where do you think success comes from?
TREVINO: In my opinion success comes from “GANAS!!!” las ganas to stand up and fight for what you believe in. If you have no “ganas” life will pass you by and people will walk right over you..Ganas in a sense defies the struggles of being poor, overcoming fears, never saying no I can’t. In art, with ganas there is no limit of what you can accomplish.
TAOB: What is one of the struggles you think an artist faces on a daily basis ?
TREVINO: Getting the “ganas” and making money.
TAOB: What is your favorite type of music and what type of character would you say describes you ?
TREVINO: I have learn to appreciate all sorts of music but my all time favorite would be Bad Religion. I would say I am honest and noble at least that’s how my moms sees it.
TAOB: As an artist what can you say you are afraid of?
TREVINO: Believe it or not I fear criticism of my work, people can be pretty cruel. I am not talking about true art critics with actual background, but criticism by the ignorants.
TAOB:Tell us your view on any particular political issue local, state or federal, that is of importance to you?
TREVINO: Primarily I think we have to improve the quality of our schools, I think education is key to a better community. I also think there should more transparency in the day to day business conducted by the mayors and commissioners, BISD board of directors, PUB, UTB, Port of Brownsville, an online site to account for every tax payer dollar that they spend and more importantly who owns the business they hire. Better roads and drainage systems are needed, god forbid a flood disaster. I think our hospitals need to improve the quality of service and emergency response. Diabetic Education and Assistance programs that reach throughout every corner of our community is greatly needed. Zero tolerance for those who abuse, abandon animals and perhaps stricter laws on more aggressive dogs. The animal shelter is over capacity and in general around town stray dogs and cats plague the city becoming roadkill. Bring back the Just Say No to Drugs campaign.
TAOB:Do you believe in a community of artist to be beneficial, why or why not ?
TREVINO: Yes, I look at the The Art of Brownsville blog and I see positive things, positive responses, great work that not only reflects our culture, but contributes to the evolution of art. But does beneficial meaning every artist making money off the art they produce? The idea of art throughout our city in parks, in peoples homes, in Internet websites, in our museums, in our historic buildings, in our restaurant's in our tourist districts so that outsiders can say “this city is rich in life”…at the same time question… would too much art may make it unimportant?
I would like to see some public jobs go to other artist and not Don Breeden. I also don’t like the idea that a painter is always asked to donate his or her talent for public benefits.
TAOB:Besides family and art what else is important to you ?
TREVINO: My day job.
Many thanks of your time and responses on this TAOB Blog Artist Interview....
TAOB: Where were you born and what do you remember most about your childhood ?
TREVINO: I was born in Brownsville, and raised as a child in both Brownsville and Matamoros. My memories as a child always start crossing the bridge, watching the indigenous and crippled beggars knocking at the car windows at the bridge, paleteros and their carts, riding in las peseras driving down Sexta with my brothers and my mom on our way to visit famalia, watching my mom make flour tortillas for some frijoles refritos tacos, the roar of the crowed when Mr. Amigo passed during the Charro Day parade, buying chips with food-stamps, walking in downtown Brownsville where my mother sold shoes at a store called San Shu and the 50 off store, the drug scene that plagued my old neighborhood by the Cameron County Courthouse, playing football at the Boys Club, getting snacks at the Goodneighbor, watching my two oldest brothers fight about nothing, sleeping on the floor, and walking the railroad tracks and the allies by the Edlestein Park waiting for my dad to come home from work.
TAOB: Describe your art?
TREVINO: My art is always evolving, from abstract to surrealist, I couldn't say I am a cubist painter or a neo-expressionist, once I thought my art reflected a post Chicano style, my most recent work is more of a graphic artist, in simple my work contributes to the evolution of art, so maybe I am an evolutionist, but I couldn't say what tomorrow may bring until I paint it….
TAOB: Why do you think art is important and how do you feel your art contributes to that purpose?
TREVINO: Art has been important to the history of man kind, if not the foundation of his principles, in our society “Brownsville” it helps define our culture of who we are, what we think about and how we value our own understanding of life.
TAOB: As an artist where do you think success comes from?
TREVINO: In my opinion success comes from “GANAS!!!” las ganas to stand up and fight for what you believe in. If you have no “ganas” life will pass you by and people will walk right over you..Ganas in a sense defies the struggles of being poor, overcoming fears, never saying no I can’t. In art, with ganas there is no limit of what you can accomplish.
TAOB: What is one of the struggles you think an artist faces on a daily basis ?
TREVINO: Getting the “ganas” and making money.
TAOB: What is your favorite type of music and what type of character would you say describes you ?
TREVINO: I have learn to appreciate all sorts of music but my all time favorite would be Bad Religion. I would say I am honest and noble at least that’s how my moms sees it.
TAOB: As an artist what can you say you are afraid of?
TREVINO: Believe it or not I fear criticism of my work, people can be pretty cruel. I am not talking about true art critics with actual background, but criticism by the ignorants.
TAOB:Tell us your view on any particular political issue local, state or federal, that is of importance to you?
TREVINO: Primarily I think we have to improve the quality of our schools, I think education is key to a better community. I also think there should more transparency in the day to day business conducted by the mayors and commissioners, BISD board of directors, PUB, UTB, Port of Brownsville, an online site to account for every tax payer dollar that they spend and more importantly who owns the business they hire. Better roads and drainage systems are needed, god forbid a flood disaster. I think our hospitals need to improve the quality of service and emergency response. Diabetic Education and Assistance programs that reach throughout every corner of our community is greatly needed. Zero tolerance for those who abuse, abandon animals and perhaps stricter laws on more aggressive dogs. The animal shelter is over capacity and in general around town stray dogs and cats plague the city becoming roadkill. Bring back the Just Say No to Drugs campaign.
TAOB:Do you believe in a community of artist to be beneficial, why or why not ?
TREVINO: Yes, I look at the The Art of Brownsville blog and I see positive things, positive responses, great work that not only reflects our culture, but contributes to the evolution of art. But does beneficial meaning every artist making money off the art they produce? The idea of art throughout our city in parks, in peoples homes, in Internet websites, in our museums, in our historic buildings, in our restaurant's in our tourist districts so that outsiders can say “this city is rich in life”…at the same time question… would too much art may make it unimportant?
I would like to see some public jobs go to other artist and not Don Breeden. I also don’t like the idea that a painter is always asked to donate his or her talent for public benefits.
TAOB:Besides family and art what else is important to you ?
TREVINO: My day job.
Many thanks of your time and responses on this TAOB Blog Artist Interview....
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