Dig In Magazine talks to Carly Ivan Garica, an abstract expressionist artist who is participating in the Fountain Art Fair 2010. Fountain is an exhibition of avant-garde artwork in New York during Armory week and Miami during Art Basel Miami Beach. Last year at Art Basel, he was an international emerging artist with featured artist Laurence Gartel, at The National Hotel, Miami FL December 2009. And he has displayed his artwork in art shows such as Just Art 2010, Art Exhibit to Benefit the New York Civil Liberties Union, Gallery Twelve 21, New York, NY June 24, 2010; Marin History Museum Demolition Dance Party, participating mural artist, Marin County, CA February 2010; Raw Art Gallery Exhibit, Curator in conjunction with the Oakland Art Murmur and participating artist on the RAW Mural Collaboration Oakland CA October 2010.

You can view more of Carly Ivan Garcia's work at: www.CarlyIvanGarcia.com

Dig In Magazine: It has been quite awhile since our first Dig In Magazine interview earlier this year (2010). Just for some background information, can you tell a little bit about your artistic style and artistic medium?

Carly Ivan Garicia: I'd like to start off by thanking Dig in Magazine for giving me this interview and getting my art out there – much appreciated. As for background information, my artistic style abstract expressionist. I like to paint large and small scale. I take all my energy and emotion and put it on the canvas. Images develop on top of images, creating layers that spark my raw emotion. My style is very colorful with dreamlike imagery. I love all mediums oil, spray-paint, acrylic and collage. I try to never limit myself to one medium but often find myself going back to oil more than anything. My process is thought out almost to an obsessive level. So when I am ready to create the work I execute from this thought- provoking place, which in another sense means when I'm painting my mind already knows where my marks are going to go. That's when I am at my best.

DIM: What have you been up to in terms of your art and the art world since our interview earlier this year?

CIG: Well lets see, I had a solo show for the opening of the movie Touching Home with the California film institute which was a total honor and at the same time I had a solo exhibition at Room Gallery in Marin. I was showing work in the Hanson Gallery of Sausalito for six months simultaneously with consistent exhibits shown in Room Gallery, I had two shows in New York one for the NYCLU in Chelsea Manhattan in June 2010 and the other in support of Womens Voices Now September, 2010. I've also been curating large scale 4500 sq ft gallery shows on the west coast with super talented artists ranging from high end contemporary art to prolific graffiti artists. It's been great fun and an incredible learning experience for me that I look forward to continuing my role in as an artist and curator and collector.

DIM: I understand that you showed in New York, what was the message that you were communicating through your paintings for the New York Civil Liberties Union and what does the NYCLU represent?

CIG: The show surrounded issues of privacy, censorship, reproductive rights and immigration - my topic was censorship. My message was whether you agree or not censorship is never the answer and its always important to let people have a voice, no matter what. NYCLU stands for the New York Civil Liberties Union. The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) is one of the nation's foremost defenders of civil liberties and civil rights. Founded in 1951 as the New York affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union. Their mission is to defend and promote freedom of speech and religion, and the right to privacy, equality and due process of law for all New Yorkers. (www.nyclu.org)

DIM: I know that you have a strong stance on promoting strong women and giving women that have no voice, a voice. Can you tell me a little about your position on women's issues and how your artwork helps women?

CIG: I was raised by strong women and surrounded by strong women all my life. I have been aware of equality and highly value what each individual brings to the table (small to large in scale – it is all necessary to influence positive change in a world of flux) and as an artist I protect these qualities for a global world.

DIM: Can you introduce what Art Basel Miami is?

CIG: Art Basel Miami Beach is the most important art show in the United States, a cultural and social highlight for the Americas. As the sister event of Switzerland's Art Basel, the most prestigious art show worldwide for the past 41 years, Art Basel Miami Beach combines an international selection of top galleries with an exciting program of special exhibitions, parties and crossover events featuring music, film, architecture and design.

Where I am showing work this year is at Fountain Art Fair Miami, which is in conjunction with Art Basel Miami. This December will be Fountain Art Fair's fifth anniversary. New York founders David Kesting and John Leo specifically showcase avante garde contemporary artists and encourage cutting edge installation based art shows.

DIM: I hear that you went to Art Basel Miami last year and are going to Art Basel, which happens in December, again this year, what show did you participate in within Art Basel Miami in 2009 and what are you going back for in 2010?

CIG: Last year at Art Basel, I was an international emerging artist with featured artist Laurence Gartel, The National Hotel, Miami FL December 2009. For the first time at Art Basel, Sushi Samba presents Graffiti Gone Global. I participated in the group show and produced a 50 ft collaboration installation of art work. This year I'm going back to Miami to participate in the Fountain Art Fair thanks to my representation with Catinca Tabacaru, founder of Tinca Art, inc. NY, NY.

DIM: Tell me about Fountain Art Fair in Miami and your solo show?

CIG: Fountain is an exhibition of avant-garde artwork in New York during Armory week and Miami during Art Basel Miami Beach. Fountain Miami 2010, the 5th anniversary of the show launched during Art Basel 2006, features 25 projects by US-based and international galleries and artist collectives. The fair runs December 2-5 and is set to receive record attendance. Founded in June 2007 by David Kesting and John Leo, Leo Kesting seeks to expose our artists and those of our sister gallery Capla Kesting Fine Art which opened its doors 4 years earlier in the gallery hub of Williamsburg Brooklyn. Leo Kesting offers the art viewing public an opportunity to see forthcoming talents in an intimate setting. Leo Kesting constantly seeks new undiscovered artists with a cutting edge to their craft that would be otherwise missed by the contemporary art scene. "In this way, we present our collectors with an off the beaten path approach to acquiring artwork that shines in our minds and culture." (http://fountainexhibit.com/2010/)

DIM: What is the subject of the paintings that you are presenting at Fountain Art Fair Miami 2010? What artwork will you be displaying at this year's Fountain Fair?

CIG: I'm presenting Industrialism combined with dream world images and visions. I have a range of canvas sizes that will be on display that utilize a wide spectrum of brightly colored palettes: Daydream Freely, 58 x 60 inches, Oil and mixed media; Champion, 58 x 60 inches, Oil and mixed media; Triptych with small scale paintings depicting a floating bears installation that showcases emotions through the eyes of a vulnerable bear - trying to escape the images of his dreams. Inspiring imaginations through juxtapositions.

DIM: You've gone from Marin to Oakland and San Francisco to Los Angeles, New York and Miami, what is your strategy in terms of expanding your reach in the art world?

CIG: Focusing on my art. Working on creating the best paintings I can create that spark emotion.

DIM: How do you plan to extend your reach and artistic presence in various parts of the nation to the international art market? What is your strategy?

CIG: My strategy is to keep creating good work and to keep branching out more to the east coast and Miami as well as the whole globe to see the level of artists working at this platform. Why not? Who else is going to do it?

DIM: What are some of the galleries that your work has been displayed in currently and in the past?

CIG: Hanson Gallery, Sausalito, CA May 2010 till November 2010; California Film Institute presents Touching Home, World Theatrical Premiere and Gala, Featured Artist, Marin County, April 29, 2010 and ten of my paintings seen on the "big screen"; Room Interior Gallery, San Rafael, CA Artist Spotlight April 23, 2010 showing art ongoing; RAW Gallery- Oakland, CA Featured Artist April 2009; Love Pistols in Color, Pueblo Nuevo Gallery, Mural installation, Berkeley, CA March 2010; New beginnings Art Exhibit 2010 Studio 424 Gallery, Humboldt, CA, January 2, 2010.

DIM: What art shows have you been apart of?

CIG: Just Art 2010, Art Exhibit to Benefit the New York Civil Liberties Union, Gallery Twelve 21, New York, NY June 24, 2010; Marin History Museum Demolition Dance Party, participating mural artist, Marin County, CA February 2010; Raw Art Gallery Exhibit, Curator in conjunction with the Oakland Art Murmur and participating artist on the RAW Mural Collaboration Oakland CA October 2010.

DIM: What magazines and/or websites/blogs have you been featured in?

CIG: Warholian.com – presents Featured Contemporary Artist and Curator Carly Ivan Garcia, Contemporary Artist, Video Release June, 2010; Vimby.com – Video In My Backyard presents Featured Contemporary Artist Video Release, March 2010; Juxtapoz Art and Culture Magazine Blog features the RAW Art Gallery Exhibit October / November curated by Carly Ivan Garcia; Dig In Magazine Interview: Featuring Carly Ivan Garcia – http://www.DigInMag.com; Visonary Arts Mag dot com.

DIM: I understand that you are a curator as well as an artist, what are some of the past and recent art shows that you have curated?

CIG: I was the very first featured artist at the RAW show in April 2009. I then began taking up the curating aspects and designed the following shows: Highlights included Chor Boogies Queen Series as well as a 40 ft melodic color therapy masterpiece, Apex One legendary graffiti artist who showed a huge installation that covered the entire wall 10+ft with an amazing black scale, Robert Bowen's impressive installation and Travis Somerville who is represented by Catherine Clark Gallery brought museum quality work priced at $100,000.00, previously shown in the Smithsonian.

RAW ART GALLERY EXHIBIT 11.05.10 Curator, RAW ART GALLERY EXHIBIT 10.01.10 Curator, RAW ART GALLERY EXHIBIT 09.03.10 Curator, RAW ART GALLERY EXHIBIT 08.06.10 Curator, RAW ART GALLERY EXHIBIT 07.02.10 -Curator, RAW ART GALLERY EXHIBIT 06.04.10 -Curator, Oakland Ca Art Murmur, And where are these art exhibits located and how many artists have been a part of your installations? The RAW Art Gallery Exhibit has been located at The Uptown Gallery, 1951 Telegraph Ave. in Oakland CA.

DIM: How many artists have been apart of your RAW Art Gallery Exhibit in Oakland, California?

CIG: Over 100

DIM: What is the biggest show that you have curated and can you tell me a little about that (i.e. Bookstock)? How did you get involved in Bookstock and what was your involvement with the California Film Institute movie, "Touching Home" earlier this year?

CIG: The Miller Brothers, produced the BOOKSTOCK Movie, Music and Art Festival with Jeremy Zajonc. The event was a huge live performance project in collaboration with ArtNowSF founder Joey Gross. As co-curator and featured artist, I hosted 6,000 people at AT&T Park, and choreographed an all -star line up of 25 live artist painters. From that moment on my art career has accelerated at a different velocity. That is how my work as a curator truly began.Partial proceeds benefited the SF Giants Community Fund, San Francisco, June 2009.

DIM: What goes into curating an art show?

CIG: A lot.

DIM: Where do you want to go with your artwork in 2011 and beyond?

CIG: My goal with my art is limitless. I want to paint for the rest of my life and keep doing shows and curating. I want to expand to an international market to share my creativity along with the tight collective of artists that we are lucky to have here in the bay area and throughout the US.

DIM: What kind of power do you see artists having?

CIG: Art has a tremendous influence in shaping society and I believe artists are the gatekeepers to illustrating honest expression in social commentary. To underestimate artists is to underestimate the power of free expression.