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

Hi Carl, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
Probably the most important habit I’ve had to really internalize is being able to trust others and delegate responsibilities. Luckily I’ve been really fortunate to have so many awesome dependable people around me. I used to view me asking for help on projects as being a bother or a pain, but really I think it was about me being a control freak. Or actually it was a bit of both. Although I’m much better at delegation these days I still have a long way to go.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
These days I make drawings in the quiet of the Hollywood Hills while I hike around; it’s therapeutic. I have some friends who come out hiking and drawing with me and I’m always amazed that we are getting anything done during the pandemic. Being an artist is really a lifestyle and having a community here in LA is so important. I’m not sure if my artwork stands out from other artists or not. I just try to think visually as much as possible every day.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well, like I said previously, I do a lot of hiking and have found some amazing trails up in the hills. Because bars and stuff are either closed or only outside dining at this point I’d order some tacos from a truck and then go picnic in Griffith Park or Elysium depending on whether my friends brought kids.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have so many folks to give shout outs to. There is absolutely no way I’d be where I am without my members and friends at Tiger Strikes Asteroid, my peeps at Gallery ALSO, my droogs at High Beams and of course a very supportive wife who understands that I am crazy and have to keep moving or I’ll explode.

Website: carlbaratta@gmail.com
Instagram: @carlbaratta
Facebook: carl baratta
Other: b-la-connect.org, highbeams.art, tigerstrikesasteroid.com

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.