Meet Zach Mendoza

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Zach Mendoza. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Zach, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.

I believe optimism to be a choice. Spiraling into the eddy of a negative thought pattern can sometimes feel like the natural order of things, but choosing optimism is a more productive path forward. Life is finite and, with limited time, I think it’s better to fill that time with more days in which I’ve felt optimistic rather than negative.

It also helps to be genuinely excited for the future. There’s so much to look forward to and to work towards. There’s always room to grow and improve as an artist, person, husband and father. This can all be overwhelming but the challenges I’ve listed are all very much worth the efforts and the sacrifices. So I think that optimism seems to be the logical way to be in the world even in chaotic times.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

As a painter, I’m very interested in surfaces. Seeing a painting in person is a vastly different experience than viewing it on one’s phone or computer screen. I love the tactile nature of paint. I enjoy the process of painting and playing with material which can include scraping layers of older paint away and rebuilding atop older strata of pigment. The paint history that emerges is something I’m always intrigued by. I am also searching for ways to create better reference materials through disruptive processes such as collages or digital manipulation.

Above all, I am interested in the idea of a piece and I think that the process of making should echo the themes that a painter is trying to explore. I work in series and there are a few that I’ve been developing simultaneously over the past few years. One of the subjects of my series is portraits of headstones from Forest Lawn Memorial in Hollywood, CA. When I lived in LA, Forest Lawn Cemetery was one of my favorite places because it was a quiet oasis in the center of a bustling city. The beautiful sculptures throughout the rolling hills there functioned like paintings in a gallery in that everyone visiting them was quiet and reflective. I think the experience of visiting a cemetery and a gallery are not dissimilar. They are both places that command introspection and are regarded as places to grow wiser.

I’ve had the privilege of having some of these works sell, or be included in group shows or two-person shows, but I’m working towards the next solo show. I’d love to show this Forest Lawn series in a solo show. I’m excited to also begin a new series which is the first time in several years that I’ve began to plan an entirely new theme around my work which will involve taking more reference from life, from the city, and from people in my life.

I’ve been writing a Substack newsletter called PaintersPaint that I use to share long-form writing about art history, and strategies for creative practice.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

The behavior that has served me best has been consistency. I’ve experienced great growth and progress when I’ve consistently shown up to make work and to be in a position to generate new ideas through the process of making. when I was a younger artist, I felt that I needed to resolve and figure out every aspect of a piece before I even sat down to make it. There needed to be a complete and thorough sketch that left no room for mistakes and often this would result in not even starting. I also used to believe that it was important to wait for inspiration to strike before starting and I realized that this way of thinking was counterproductive for the same reasons.

For artists who are early on in their journey, I would recommend making things regularly and experimenting with different media and tools while practicing fundamentals. I think it’s also important to proactively seek feedback and critique. One the of the integral parts of art school is the prevalence of critique and it’s something that’s difficult to replicate outside of school. It’s important to see what others see in your work and hear how it’s being received. I recommend working with friends and also practicing providing feedback. I would suggest also being active in the community, by attending art openings and workshops and meeting other people who are making cool art as well. It’s easy for artists to live a monastic lifestyle by locking themselves in their rooms to make work, but being in the world is equally important.

Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?

Running has been a helpful outlet for me since I was a teenager. When I feel overwhelmed or if I’m working through some sort of an impasse, I find it really helpful to run and reset my mind. I’m grateful that jogging is something that I look forward to and that I have it as an available outlet since I know the initial stage of making running a regular habit can feel dreadful for many people.

The great contemporary writer, Haruki Murakami, wrote a memoir titled What I talk About When I Talk About Running that details his relationship with running and how he’s participated in numerous marathons throughout his writing career. He makes the case that running and training is helpful for creativity. Murakmi explains that when he runs he often doesn’t have a grand idea or breakthrough thought for a new novel but rather that the act of running creates a void. This void is what results form a web of thoughts dissipating and that allows for creative ideas to emerge when such a space is created. I’ve experienced this in my life as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.zachkmendoza.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zachkmendoza/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Zachkmendozastudio
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-mendoza-449673112
• Twitter: https://x.com/ZacharyMendoza1
• Other: https://painterspaint.substack.com/