ANGELA              ZAMORA

What is your favorite part about working on a project? Angela: My favorite part about working on a project is definitely the conception, I love being excited to start a new project. I love how everything feels fresh for me and how I want my concept out of my mind immediately. With my conceptualization comes research and writings which are healing for me. Having a form of writing dedicated to each piece helps me establish the feelings I want to convey. How do you decide when a piece is completely done? Angela: I decide something is complete once it's fulfilled the vision I was working towards. With all my projects my end result changes in the end but it's usually established as complete when I watch my piece fully through or view my piece and feel satisfied. What has compelled you to work with unconventional mediums in animation? Angela: Since I was little I loved stop motion animation, I loved making things for my dolls and making animations out of anything I could. I think what's compelled me to work with whatever I want comes with using animation as a sculpture. Oftentimes I see everything as a medium from the way I present myself to the way I journal, I want to make things with everything. Sometimes a feeling for me can only be established with specific mediums, whether that's creating a puppet out of materials only relating to my dad or recoloring footage from my childhood. I don't see a world where I could ever stick to one form of creating animations. In your pieces we can see a lot of work with textiles, could you talk more about that? Angela: I love textiles. I love working with hand sewing and my sewing machine. I work with mainly second-hand textiles, there's so much satisfaction in recreating a found material, with stamping, transferring images, or crocheting. I love textiles with stories. Of the works in this exhibition, which one is your favorite (if you have any) and why? Angela: I think my most recent animation I've been working with this past month “My Nest” is my new found favorite. I appreciate the transformation it’s made from the mentorship of my sculpture teacher Mia Feuer, and the way in which it helped me. I've put a lot of myself into this piece, discussing and creating a story of isolation and finding freedom. Making an animation so open ended based on a poem helped me leave my structure of animation. This piece has made me proud of myself, it's often hard for me to work on pieces for long periods of time, and let them become something new. Who are some artists that have influenced you and your work? Angela: Henry Selick has always been a huge inspiration for me. His films are what introduced me to animation at a young age. I find his originality in style to be so compelling, his openness to work and collaborate with others is something that inspires me. A common theme in your work is your relationship with religion and traditional beliefs, could you elaborate on how you make artistic decisions in order to convey these themes in your work? Angela: The decision to convey religion and traditional beliefs somehow comes natural to me. The practices and way of life I’ve been issued to learn have always been within me, it's a difficult thing to traverse but I still believe there's peace and beauty in these themes. After all, these traditions helped me and still do help me get through tough times. I don't think these themes will ever leave my work as it's something I will always deal with, my foundation of childhood was issued on the cross, it's something I can't help but always convey. Is there any mediums that you have not tried that you are motivated to try and explore? Angela: I'd love to do some sort of ceramic work. It's just so tedious and so complex with its steps. I've spent some time in the ceramic studio because my best friend is practicing ceramics and I can't help but appreciate the dedication it takes. I'm unsure I have the long-term patience to sculpt but it's definitely something I've always wanted to try. What is the hardest piece you have worked on and why? Angela: The hardest piece I've worked on was “Cucharas para mi mamá”, that was my first time working with wood for my 3d class and it was brutal on my body. I hand sanded and carved my spoons intentionally because my dad has always worked with wood hands on. I cut my fingers everyday while working and got sick from ingesting so much wood that my nose would bleed. What are your main goals as an artist? Angela: My main goals as an artist is to create works of healing for myself and others, I've always wanted to be intentional with the way I work. Creating works that express my culture and bring power to that is something I always want to hold close to me. My goals within my art are to stay true to myself and where I come from. Is there any piece of advice that you would like to say to the rest of our CCA Radio community? Angela: Remember to smile. :)