Meet AnnLi Tico | Mixed-Media Artist

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

Hi AnnLi, why did you pursue a creative career?
I think that there was just this gradual realization during college that it was the thing I wanted to do most, and that when I looked decades into my future, it was really the only thing that I could imagine myself being fulfilled by long-term. It occurred to me that I would probably be pretty mediocre at whatever other profession I decided to do, if deep down I was ignoring my desire to make art. In high school I was very practical and decided that I would study Economics in college, and about a year into school I was desperate to get back into the creative mode, so I added an Art major. From there the passion grew, and as I had more access to studio space, I realized that there were infinite possibilities and mediums that I could explore. The final push came during the pandemic, when I was making work at home. When you study art at school, you feel a bit coddled because you have all this access to instructors, space, and tools, that you know you’re not going to have at your disposal post-grad. It makes the idea of continuing your practice a bit intimidating, but having the studios shut down during the pandemic made me realize that I was capable of experimenting and creating interesting stuff with very little space and resources. It gave me the confidence to stick with art and try to forge a path for myself where I could make a living in the creative field.

When it comes to my attraction to art in general, it was something I gravitated towards since I was young, and I found it to be a great tool of expression, especially as someone who does not consider themselves as naturally good with words. I was fairly shy growing up, and art allowed me a way to ruminate on my thoughts and emotions, and present them in a way that I often felt like speaking or writing didn’t afford me. Images can be interpreted in a multitude of ways, and having viewers find meaning in my work, that I might not have originally intended, was a great way to connect to others.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My work mainly consists of textile-based mixed-media art, and paintings. Through my work I explore the intricate and infinite details of the environments that surround us, whether that be the countless hidden worlds that occur in the broadness of nature, or the small objects and personalizations that exist in day to day home life. I am interested in the details that often go missed or overlooked – the subtle repetition of patterns in nature, the colorful trim on neighborhood houses, or the tags on the inside of our clothing. The covid 19 pandemic, which restricted many people’s world to a single neighborhood or even a single apartment, is what initially stirred my interest in these subjects. During those years, the places I called home became more important to me as the bounds of my world seemed to shrink. The small apartments that I shared with friends became microcosms of the outside society, and the coastline and neighborhood blocks that surrounded me expanded, as I began to explore the nooks and crannies of my limited world. My goal is to create work that captures these intricacies in a way that is playful and inviting to its viewer, and to explore the ways that these environments relate to the individual. I do this by using bold colors and abstract shapes, the repetition of objects and patterns, and by focusing on textiles and mixed media to create tactile work.

During my time as an artist, one of the biggest challenges was realizing how slowly progress comes along, and figuring out how to maintain a consistent practice when its not your sole source of income. Getting into shows, finding jobs that fit your skill set, making connections in the city- all of it takes time and consistent dedication. When you’re working side gigs, sometimes that time can slip away, and you find yourself feeling unproductive about the things you’re truly passionate about. I constantly try to remind myself how far I’ve come, and how even small amounts of work being put into projects every day will slowly amount to something much bigger.
Whenever I come up with a new way to express a feeling or idea, or a new medium that I can incorporate into my work to aid this expression is when I feel the most excited about art making. Luckily there’s still a ton a want to explore, which also acts as a challenge because my space and resources are limited. I see this challenge as an opportunity to explore mediums I might not normally consider. For example, right now I’m working with polymer clay, which is easy to use at home. A lot of my previous work using watercolor and clothing tags came about from having limited room, and not being able to create messes in my shared living spaces. Using these limitations as inspiration to experiment with new materials has been surprisingly fun and fulfilling.

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.
So, I’m imagining that my best friend Adrian is coming to town, and he’s the quintessential fashion-forward NYC man, who loves art and knows how to have a great time. I live in Palms, so I’m thinking in the morning we head over to Grand Casino, and grab some empanadas, pastries, and coffee before we start our day. If the weather’s good, we’ll have at least one beach day where we check out the Getty Villa and have a little sunset picnic afterwards. We would also definitely have to go to Go Pocha in k-town for dinner one night. It’s the perfect place to eat and catch up with old friends: the atmosphere is dark and cozy, the food is delicious, and there’s a bowling alley right across the street, if we’re feeling spontaneous. Another day we’ll hit up LACMA, preferably on Friday jazz night and watch a late night screening at either Brain Dead Studios, or Landmark Nuart, my two most frequented theaters.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Huge shoutout to the two friends that I moved to Los Angeles with, Jenny Huang and Vicky Chung. We’ve known each other since elementary school, and all separated ways for college, but decided to move to Los Angeles to pursue our own creative endeavors post-grad. When we first came here, the three of us holed up in a one bedroom apartment because it was all we could afford, which was truly a wild time. I think that it would have been really difficult, or next to impossible, for any one of us to make the move out here alone (especially unemployed and right out of the pandemic) so I’m really grateful for the two of them for making the leap with me. An especially big shoutout to Jenny who has been extremely supportive of me when it comes to going after opportunities such as applying for open calls and finding employment in the art field. Coming to this town can be daunting, and its been great having a partner in crime to navigate this city and industry with. There are tons of ups and downs when pursuing a creative career, and being able to share those moments and get some great advice and encouragement from her has been amazing.

Website: https://www.annlitico.com/

Instagram: @mellowfeverart

Other: email: annlitico@gmail.com