By Eric Heinz
Street artists from Los Angeles will display their work in San Clemente at the House of Trestles from Friday, July 28, to Sunday, July 30.
The Street Artist in Residence program, based at the House of Trestles, located at 2717 S. El Camino Real, is hosting the program LA Residency and will feature artists from Los Angeles. The free event will display artwork for attendees each night from 6 to 10 p.m.
San Clemente-based street artist known as Bandit has been working with the program to coordinate efforts with artists. All of the work that goes into the program is volunteer-based with a board of directors, led by board co-chairs Josh Host and Bandit.
“We have all these artists down here, but we haven’t developed a base for the arts community,” Host said. “We’re able to bring in international artists as well as local artists, and we’re able to transform these spaces into galleries.”
Bandit has been painting in Los Angeles for about six years and networked with other street artists throughout that time. More than 20 artists based in Los Angeles are participating in the residency program. Many street artists conceal their identity for artistic allure and mystique as well as other reasons.
“Being able to bring down some of the top street artists in LA to San Clemente is pretty remarkable,” Host said. “Bandit had to cash in a lot of relationship chips to get folks to come down here.”
Prior to the event, some of the street artists collaborated on a mural that spans throughout the interior of House of Trestles. Some of the works fused gritty, visceral images that stoke political conversations with abstract color.
The Street Artist in Residence program started about a year ago when Host opened the House of Trestles, which is like a hostel for artists looking to promote their work. Artists have come from as far as across the globe to participate in month-long displays. This particular exhibit will run one weekend only.
Host said the program has welcomed artists from Norway, Portugal, Romania and other countries.
“The magic of this is to transform communities into something that’s dream like, where children can grow up and see that art is ubiquitous,” Host said.
No theme has been set for the program, as the directors didn’t want to put the artists’ creativity “on a leash,” Bandit said.
The city of San Clemente is currently mulling a mural ordinance that, at its latest consideration, would give the Planning Commission authority to consider the standards of reviewing applications for murals. Currently, people must obtain a permit to place a mural on private space.
See the House of Trestles Facebook page for more information.
List of Street Artists at House of Trestles
WRDSMTH, Megzany, Teachr, Free Humanity, Andrea LaHue, Jason Ostro, Cyrus the Vyrus, Phobik, Morley, Earl Lee, Balloonski, Adam Casper, Karin Lindberg Freda, Felix, Killyrslf, Skechy, TSMOKEWELL, Bandit, John Ashbough, Duzer, and more could be added to the list of artists.
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