INTRO BY KAT VISTI
INTERVIEW BY CAMI LIBERTY
PHOTO COURTESY OF CLINTON BOPP
Clinton Bopp and his beautiful works of art have taken over the city of Los Angeles. Los Angeles is going through a lot of change and Clinton's work reflects and preserves the different parts of each culture. Before painting a mural Clinton researches the history of the community and meets with the people who live in those communities. We interviewed Clinton to learn more about his art work and his projects.
Were you always interested in art growing up?
"Yes! As a child, I was constantly drawing and creating art. It was something I always inherently wanted to do. For me, it felt like a way to communicate. The more I drew, the better I got, and the easier it became to communicate my ideas."
When was the moment you realized you wanted to be a muralist?
"When I moved to Los Angeles the world of murals was exposed to me for the first time. After moving to East LA, a part of the city rich in mural history, I realized the power murals can have on communities. I saw first hand how powerful murals are because of the stories they tell. Once I witnessed that impact, I was hooked."
What do you love most about creating your art?
"I love all aspects. The excitement of taking on new projects, the process of creating the vision for the piece, and the application of actually painting the walls. When I’m painting I get lost in the work which can be very freeing. It’s then always a rush of gratitude and satisfaction when I finish a project."
PHOTO COURTESY OF CLINTON BOPP
How long does it typically take you to create each mural?
"It all depends on the scope of work and scale of the projects. It could be as fast as one day for smaller jobs and up to three weeks for larger projects. I tend to really push myself with each piece, spending time and attention to detail."
You recently painted a mural at a children’s school to help bring different communities together due to racial tension that was happening at the school. How did it feel working on this project?
"These kinds of projects give my work meaning and purpose. It was an honor to be given the privilege to tell such a rich and positive story that made so much impact in the lives of these students."
What piece of yours would you say you’re most proud of?
PHOTO COURTESY OF CLINTON BOPP
"I would say my mural about the conquest of The Aztecs. It was a journey, a project over 100ft long. Composing a story of such epic scale was a really interesting challenge. The hardest part was trying to fit everything in while maintaining the composition of the piece. The level of detail and rich symbolism really resonated with the community."
Do you have any other projects coming up that we can expect to see?
"Yes, I have a busy year ahead of me. Plenty of interesting projects are in the works."