Fredi Lopez is a queer Chicanx interdisciplinary artist that gravitates towards themes of nostalgia and queer identity.
He is interested in texture, space and the body as medium and exploration. Originally from the Midwest, he has lived in San Francisco for 8 years and has studied art at the San Francisco Art Institute, The California College of the Arts and Beaux-Arts de Paris. He has held exhibitions in San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, Madison, & Paris.
Some words from Fredi himself:
"My love of ceramics began at the age of 15 in highschool, with a Ceramics 1 course in Wisconsin, and since then have never left it. I loved it so much I decided to major in Sculpture when I attended college.
For me Ceramics became a way that felt so in tune with my direct emotions, it became a way for me to physically exert my feelings of joy, sorrow and anxiety. It later became a way to connect to my family. My great grandmother made her living creating pottery for tourists visiting Mexico and my grandmother made her living making adobe bricks, it has become an ancestral way of creation.
Right now , I am continuing a series of challenging and working with my experience of growing up working class and how the generations of children of immigrants integrate into Califorinian culture and society.
I am asking myself what are ways that my upbringing challenges my current experience right now, what accesses do I have and what privileges have I gained from being in this educated class. (More details about their work coming).
I am so excited to be a part of Artillery and just as excited to begin teaching hand building classes and workshops!! :0”
We are beyond excited to have Fredi with us as a Guest Handbuilding Instructor and are excited about his upcoming course.
To learn more about their work in detail stay tuned for Part 2.
In the meantime;
Take this upcoming Queer Clay Hand Building Immersion Course starting in May and linked below.
You can follow Fredi on the IG: @latina_mode_on
View their art work at www.fredi-lopez.com
IMAGE LIST: (Above)
Barce a 24, 2023
Me in the studio, shot by Braeden Malnick