Meet Vanessa Machin | Public Artist, Designer and Communications Specialist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Vanessa Machin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Vanessa, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
In many ways the achievements I feel proudest of have felt like massive risks at the beginning. When I started college as a first generation American I felt lost and overwhelmed. When I put together my first art show, the process of gathering artworks, securing the venue, marketing, etc. felt insurmountable. Even learning to ride a bike is scary until you figure out how to pedal.

I currently work as a public artist and I recently embarked on my first ever completely individual commission. When I first won the UCSD Russell Foundation Grant (which I used to fund this project) I was so incredibly excited. I was also simultaneously filled with crushing worry and fear of failure. I found myself in charge of constructing a 30 sq. ft. mosaic, conducting community outreach surveys, coordinating logistics, interviewing experts, organizing art workshops and more. In the beginning of September, after months of work, I finally installed the piece on the UCSD campus.

From all my experiences I have learned that risk becomes much more digestible when big projects are broken up into small manageable tasks (boring answer I know). While failure is inevitable, something my dad said to me always sticks in my mind: “A boxer does not only know how to fight, he needs to learn how to take a punch and recover”.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I make large scale public art. I work across a number of different mediums including mosaic, glass fusion, oil pastels, collage and painting. Since my childhood I have always had an incredible passion for art and people. It has always been my goal to impact others through my work.

In my current job I collect, compile and consolidate community input to create cohesive designs for large scale public artworks. This process involves empowering people to express themselves, iterate on previous ideas, experiment, play and work with others to create meaningful and representative artworks which inspire pride and bring people together.

For my most recent individual project (installed in Mandeville at the University of California, San Diego) I took inspiration from the city of San Diego and the recent expansion of the San Diego trolley line which now connects the school to the city. For many years UCSD has been regarded as an Ivory Tower Institution- I wanted to create a mosaic mural which represented a holistic view of my city and also honored the University’s presence on Kumeyaay land. Many people generously consulted with me to help inform my creative process including: my mentor, Professor Janelle Iglesias, public artist, Johnny Bear, local muralist, Carmen Linares, Professor Gary Fields, Professor Ross Frank and Artists Lucas Coffic and Kevin Vincent. I also deployed a survey to which 80 community members responded about what the city means to them. In the end I think I have created a work which is very representative but also includes my own style and twists.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Not exactly in LA but the OC Observatory Constellation Room will always have a place in my heart– it’s where I first started really seeing avant garde fashion and experiencing youth culture. I think a lot of my memories in OC and LA music venues as a teen were really instrumental for developing the ability to express myself both with fashion and with art.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have so many incredible and inspirational creative friends who have supported and inspired me throughout my artistic journey. Clark Alcantara, Jack Mouzas, Delana Thompson and Thais Gonzales have all been instrumental in my artistic development.

Through everything, my mom is always my main point of reference and number one supporter.

Instagram: tackyicon

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-machin-820b60190/

Image Credits
The photograph of me with the blue eyeshadow was taken by Pam Lopez (ig: @pamlop6) The photograph of me in the beret was taken by Daniel (ig: @drshue) The photograph of me in the cake sculpture was taken by Clark Alcantara (ig: clarkos29) The photograph of me ikn the cup sculpture was taken by Ruby Fox (ig: @rubyyfox)