PERSONAL INTERVIEW
with Masterpiece Artist
OSCAR ZEPEDA
May 7, 2011
Q: I noticed your title "Masterpiece Artist and Amazing Abstract Artist" Oscar Zepeda, can you tell me a little bit more on why you chose those titles?
OZ: Of course !! let's start with the "Amazing Abstract Artist" title, I guess it was my feelings of absolute amazement every time I finish up a piece. That I kid you not !! I truly and absolutely couldn't believe that "I" created those paintings !! It would feel that I would be in a trance for hours at a time and slowly become conscious when I would finish up a piece!! Thus, I named my own name, Amazing Abstract Artist Oscar Zepeda.
Now with the "Masterpiece Artist" title, how I evolved my name into a "Masterpiece Artist" actually happened sometime around 1998 approximately. I was on a road trip coming from Sedona, AZ, ohhhh that place is sooo incredibly magical !! just saying the word Sedona, brings me back over there !! I've always wanted to go to Las Vegas, not to party like a rock star, but, to fully experience the immense Wonderland about it, and as soon as I saw the Bellagio sign stating that Now Open there Gallery of Original Masterpieces from the Masters. At the moment I saw the sign, I knew with out hesitation that I needed to go there and see those Master Artists Masterpieces. Well, the following of what happened to me Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art at such a humongous profound life changing experience in my entire life!!! This is what happened to me while I was in the gallery. I was absolutely excited to be there, they had all the Masters !!! Picasso, Monet and Chagall. While I was amazed and cherished every step inside the gallery, I finally went to see Picasso's original painting. I was all by myself there, just in a trance with his work, I was there for about 10-15 min so it seemed, I didn't time myself, and then it happened... What I'm about to say next may not be believed by the masses (not yet anyways) just an fyi as a precursor to what I'm about to say right now, while I was in a trance with one of Picasso's Original Masterpieces, I heard it 2 types of times at the same time, what I mean by this is that, I heard not only audibly but internally, Picasso asked me, both audibly and internally through the heart and soul, "How Come You're Not Up Here?" I stood there staring at his Masterpiece just frozen in a trance with his Masterpiece -- and then 2 tears started to run down my face and I was saying, "I know, I know, I know,...." just that deep deep rooted-- every cell knew type emotion.
I spent the rest of the day sitting down writing my experience at the Bellagio Cafe just soaking up what just happened with me. Whewww. Now that's a Story !!! Right ??? So, technically Pablo Picasso himself named me and gave me the title "Masterpiece Artist"..., hey, some may believe and some may not believe, all I know is that it happened and every cell in my body felt and heard it. So, I guess now since I have more confidence now with my artwork I started naming myself Masterpiece Artist Oscar Zepeda !!!! Either titles are Super Cool With Me though !!! I named myself "Amazing Abstract Artist Oscar Zepeda" and Pablo Picasso named me "Masterpiece Artist Oscar Zepeda", I like Pablo's name for me better !!!!
Q: That was an incredible and an amazing story, wow!! I was actually touched by that story, thank you. When did you know that you wanted to become an artist?
OZ: I tried to trace back where I had the initial knowing, all I could remember was when I was in kindergarten, the whole class went into a dark room with the lights off and when the lights came on, I was just mesmerized to all of the amazing colors, the whole entire room was pure colors and I remember that -- that experience made a humongous imprint at my young age at that time. I've always knew when I was younger, I remember I painted my dresser drawers as a painting !! when I was in 4th grade and didn't really paint until I was in high school, where I began to notice that my intense desire couldn't be suppressed any more, so I begged mom and popps for an easel and there was a gallery that also had beginning art classes there, so I begged mom and popps even more !! and thus the following would be me only art school/class ever in my whole history. I was extremely joyous and excited that I'm going to be taking an art class, with real oils !!! and real brushes !! and the 1st day of class, I will forever remember. The first day of class we painted a hairy cat with long strands of hair !!! and we also did a landscape winter painting. After the class, I absolutely knew that the type of art that I wanted to create could not be taught at all. I wanted to do what I had the intense desire to create and that would be mostly abstract but, not totally. I absolutely love rich, deep, bold colors and I began to notice that it happens so naturally that it just comes, without any planning, or knowing anything of what the painting will be when it's finished. So, I would say, after my first and last art class, I knew that the only way for me to create my own style of paintings was through me and me only.
Q: I have seen some your work, I must say, that I haven't seen anything like it at all !! Not even in Art History Classes! What have you been doing artistically since that first and last art class?
OZ: I did try as the best I knew how not knowing anything in the art world. Trial and Error all the way !! I had some spurts of artwork and then some dry-spells, and always in the deep down essence of myself, I knew I had to continue with my artwork regardless of what is happening with me and my finances. I want to tell a hallmark moment here, after high school, I wasn't truly motivated for college, so I went to a job training school called, "Job Corps" in Sacramento, CA it was a living dormitory type environment with mostly "At Risk" youth !!! Which was a good experience for me, and they had an Arts and Crafts Center it was more like a room. The teacher that ran the place there, I asked her what was the largest piece of paper you have so I can paint on, she gave I believe it was about 2ft x 1ft sheet of white construction paper. I just went at it !! and the art teacher, was absolutely amazed at my work !! Now, looking back, I didn't really knew how much of a pull she had, and I will always remember what she said to me, "Oscar, you must continue with your artwork no matter what!". From there, I would paint for a few years and stopped for a few more going back and forth, not really setting roots and staying anywhere for any length of time to really make my art grow and expand and to make a living out of it. So job after job, and then in 2000 I knew I had to make a substantial change after I tried to get a promotion where I worked at after 4 yrs and was denied because I didn't have the BA. I had read a book called, Semper Fi Business Leadership the Marine Corps Way by Dan Carrison. That book was really the deciding factor of my joining specifically the Marine Corps and specifically Infantry, the most toughest mentally and physically demanding job in the entire world !! So, I got it in, did my deal, was awarded with many awards and medals, was voted the most improved recruit by my peers in boot-camp, was the 1st ones into Pakistan and Afghanistan after 9/11. Went to Pakistan in October and on my birthday Nov 25 I went to Afghanistan !!! We made Marine Corps history that night, we made the longest amphibious raid into a land locked country !! I don't know exactly how many miles it was, but had to do a refuel while in flight, 53 helo's,, and they were missing the connection, during pitch black night !! and there was a lot of gas leaking everywhere !! oh yeah, we all thought that we're going down in flames !! when our time was up from war and the next battalion replaced us. When we came back from our deployment to finally landed on stateside, in San Diego/Camp Pendleton, I got myself an artist studio right in the heart of San Diego, right above Hooters !!!! Oh, it was theee perfect spot !!! it was an Absolute Godsend !!! See, there's a bit of history with all of this, it all started when I wasn't allowed to hang up a small piece of my artwork or paint inside in our own living dormitory rooms on base. I totally thought that was absolute bull-shit !! and decided to get my own art studio and basically crashed out there during the weekends, until the higher ups found out about my "other" place I had to get rid of it. So, during the Marine Corps, even the passion and desire was there I was sort of forced to not create any of my art.
Whewww, almost there !! no worries !! after my time in the Corps, my main focus was my education and it was until just recently when I got my BA and wasn't able to land that "BA Dream Job" that everyone's talking about, that I absolutely have to make a stand to do what I love to do, to do what I was born to do, to do what Infinite Divine has been telling me all throughout my life !! and that is to create my amazing pieces that are definitely from out-this-Universe.
Q: Thank You Oscar, for taking the time out your schedule to speak with us, I know that it's only time before the whole world will know who you are, your incredible story and your Magnificent "Masterpieces". Definitely let me know of any updates and future masterpieces.
OZ: Oh no, no, no, Thank YOU !!!! I just know that this interview will get that huge 500 foot solid granite ball just to move a smudge !!! and when that 500 foot solid granite ball get's rolling -- Rolling Down Hill !! Oh, My, I don't even know or even imagine or even comprehend how global and world-wide Masterpiece Artist Oscar Zepeda will be. I can see the headlines now : " Long Lost Hidden Master Artist Finally Arises !!!" or like this one "Pablo Picasso named Oscar Zepeda as one of the Master Artists !!!" !!! oh yeah that'll be a good one !!! "All I know is that I must do what I know what I must do Regardless of the situation or the circumstance", Wow!, that sounded like a quote from someone famous !!!
Q: Any final words or thoughts you want to say?
