Artist Decoded by Yoshino

John Wentz is a contemporary painter born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. His interest in art began at the age of 6 when he first discovered Batman and Spiderman comic books. After years of copying comics panel by panel, he worked in the commercial arts as a muralist, billboard creator, and freelance illustrator. After learning to paint by doing airbrushed billboards, he decided to pursue fine art and work in oils. Since then, he has had 3 solo exhibitions in San Francisco and numerous group exhibitions both nationally and internationally. His works have appeared in many publications and have won multiple awards. Show Notes: Cultural nuances John's shift towards digital artwork Imposter syndrome The effects of COVID on people's consciousness NFT's The background to John's latest gallery show, "Liminal Spaces" at Stolen Space Gallery in London The Liminal Space Grieving The concept of "ritual" How painting has changed for John over the years The idea of self-expression Voice and style Intentionally living The future of gallery exhibitions Wrap up www.artistdecoded.com www.johnwentz.com www.instagram.com/johnwentz

Books Referenced In This Yoshinocast Episode: "The Millionaire Next Door" by Thomas J. Stanley "The Psychology of Money" by Morgan Housel "Atomic Habits" by James Clear "The Miracle of a Definite Chief Aim" by Mitch Horowitz Link To Yoshino's Strava Profile: www.strava.com/athletes/63049717 Other Links: www.artistdecoded.com www.yoshinostudios.com www.nohwave.co

Joe Sill is a filmmaker and founder of world-building lab Impossible Objects. Joe likes to think big. He forged his path as a live-action feature and commercials director, often using visual effects to bring new worlds and ideas to life. His love for telling grand visual stories has led him to work with top brands such as Apple, NASA, Nike, and Tesla, as well as his first foray into feature filmmaking with "Stray". Recently, Joe decided to double down in the landscape of animation and virtual production, energized by the constant innovation and ability for artists like himself to imagine and create without limitation. Joe is currently developing an original television series with writer Matisse Tolin based on their short film, "Autonomous", with Jon Berg and Greg Silverman of Stampede Ventures producing. Show Notes: Joseph Campbell on giving meaning to life Honestly expressing oneself Being journey focused vs. being results focused Turning interests into a career The role of the director on set The potentially toxic ideology behind the "self-starter" Joe's work as a director Bruce Lee's impact on culture The process of creation/ego Joe's reflections during the pandemic VR in cinema Social media Seeking validation Relinquishing ideas of ownership Joe's company, "Impossible Objects" Wrap up www.artistdecoded.com www.joesill.com www.impossible-objects.co

Liana Finck, New Yorker Cartoonist, who has been deemed by ELLE, "Instagram's favorite cartoonist," and has been featured on Adult Swim and HBO's Very Semi-Serious, as well as authored multiple graphic novels and a cartoon book (and a forthcoming novel as well), and has drawn the cover for a Justin Bieber + Ariana Grande single. Show Notes: 00:03:34 - Artistry and childhood 00:05:26 - Different modes of creating art 00:10:45 - Finding one's voice as an artist 00:12:54 - Liana's artistic evolution 00:15:11 - Naive art and perfectionism 00:18:12 - Finding one's rhythm 00:20:55 - Cities being a hub for a variety of people and perspectives 00:26:45 - What we say vs. what we mean 00:31:02 - Personality tests 00:34:20 - The anxiety of being around people 00:40:58 - Life changes 00:47:55 - Wrap up www.artistdecoded.com www.lianafinck.com www.instagram.com/lianafinck

Ayoto Ataraxia 鄭博榕; pingyin: Zheng Borong; born 23 August 1985) is an artist, director, writer, performing artist, producer, poet, and musician. He graduated from Istituto Europeo di Design with cum laude in 2009, and from the School of Visual Arts with honors in New York City, 2013. His works have been exhibited at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, and are part of the Beyond Fashion exhibition of the Foundation for the Exhibition of Photography. He is currently hosting Asian Provocation, exploring queer Asian diasporic identities through conversations and stories Show Notes: 00:04:55 - Ayoto's reflections time in New York 00:09:06 - The dangers of romanticizing working artists 00:12:18 - Artistic expression 00:16:42 - Modern American culture / getting lost in the American dream 00:19:52 - Considering what we truly value in life 00:22:14 - Observing people in different dimensions 00:27:24 - The illusion of control 00:29:08 - Identity 00:35:37 - The background to Ayoto's original name/freedom from dogma 01:00:23 - Wrap up www.artistdecoded.com www.instagram.com/ayoto.ataraxia/ www.ayotoataraxia.com

NYC-based Iranian songwriter, producer, and vocalist Kris Esfandiari, also known as King Woman, is set to release a striking full-length album, Celestial Blues, on July 30, 2021, via Relapse Records. Kris Esfandiari (NGHTCRWLR, Dalmatian, Miserable, Sugar High, i8i) founded King Woman in 2009 — a solo project which later gained the talents of guitarist Peter Arensdorf and drummer Joseph Raygoza. Now wiser and holding less animosity than King Woman's previous sentiments on 2014 EP Doubt and the highly-esteemed 2017 full length Created in The Image of Suffering, the fantasy world that once plagued Kris' psyche is dancing in a new light on Celestial Blues. Feeling compelled to reshape the biblical archetypes that once bound her, Esfandiari has created a theatrical tale of rebellion, tragedy, and triumph — a metaphor for her own personal experiences over the years — Celestial Blues was born. Show Notes: 00:05:17 - Monotheism/experiences with Christianity 00:17:16 - The fluidity of expressing emotions through music 00:21:08 - Opening up to her creative spirit 00:25:44 - The current state of the music industry 00:27:22 - Surrounding oneself with the right people 00:29:12 - Her newest album with her band, King Woman, entitled, Celestial Blues 00:36:14 - Art being a gateway 00:38:17 - Deconstruction 00:44:00 - Kristina's multiple side projects 00:50:00 - Wrap up www.artistdecoded.com www.instagram.com/kngwmn www.kingwoman.bandcamp.com

Poet, artist, and Daughters vocalist Alexis Marshall has announced his solo debut LP HOUSE OF LULL. HOUSE OF WHEN for July 23rd via Sargent House and along with it the first song and video for "Hounds In The Abyss". Directed by Jeremy W., Marshall notes of the video's concept "The long stare into the room of self—the universe's middle distance—the many hidden doors we locate, the many rooms we find. Populated not only by whom else we are, but by places, we have been. The places we are. We don't always pull away from the hot stove."' Produced by Seth Manchester the album is crafted around moments of spontaneity and sonic detritus. For the album, Marshall brought together an impressive group of collaborators to execute his vision, a vision that for the first time was under his full creative direction. Jon Syverson (Daughters), Kristin Hayter (Lingua Ignota), Evan Patterson (Jaye Jayle, Young Widows) joined Marshall in Pawtucket, Rhode Island at Machines with Magnets studio with no material. The strategy was to embrace new sounds, employ the element of chance, and capture the creative process in a song format. The genesis of a song could be anything—a fragmented piano line, a drum pattern—but the impetus was often a non-musical sound. Marshall sourced a lot of his textural contributions from a hardware store all contributing to a proto-industrial rattle-and-rumble reminiscent of early Einstürzende Neubaten. The resulting material stands to be the boldest and exciting work of his career. Show Notes: 00:06:21 - Artwork acting as a mirror to the viewer 00:08:12 - Positive and negative feedback from his band, Daughters 00:10:54 - Alexis's personal growth 00:14:48 - Success, addiction, and trauma 00:21:30 - Romanticism and selfishness 00:25:17 - Discussing the progression of society 00:32:45 - His new solo album, "House of Lull. House of When" 00:40:14 - Arts affect on Alexis 00:48:37 - The recording process for "House of Lull. House of When" 00:53:46 - Lessons from Daughters comeback album and subsequent 01:02:34 - Wrap up www.artistdecoded.com www.instagram.com/asfmarshall Alexis Marshall's "House of Lull, House of When" on Bandcamp

Emilio Villalba is a Mexican-American painter living in San Francisco. Born in Chula Vista and raised in Southern California, he grew up interested in drawing and art. He created a career in Los Angeles as a visual effects artist where he animated television commercials and films. After 2 years in the industry, he left for San Francisco to study fine art. He's now focused on exploring painting figuratively, pulling inspiration from both old masters and contemporary artists—from Velázquez to Alice Neel and Basquiat. Emilio's latest exhibition, "People and Things" will be on view at Hashimoto Contemporary in New York from Saturday, July 17th to Saturday, August 7th, 2021. Show Notes: 00:03:12 - Emilio's latest body of work 00:06:50 - Exploring new visual avenues 00:13:33 - Self-awareness of one's work 00:20:30 - Saying vs. doing 00:32:42 - The psychology of reward systems 00:36:03 - Identity / fitting in 00:42:40 - The conceptual basis of Emilio's newest body of work 00:53:37 - Owning who you are 01:03:33 - The painter's alphabet 01:25:42 - Wrap up www.artistdecoded.com www.instagram.com/emilio_villalba/ www.emiliovillalbaart.com/

Stuart Biddlecombe is a director of photography for The Handmaid's Tale. Biddlecombe graduated from the National Film and Television School in 2003. He has also worked on Doctor Who, Call To Midwife, and Cold Feet. Show Notes: 00:02:53 - Adapting to an environment on set 00:07:26 - Stuart's creative process 00:12:28 - Collaboration within the filming process 00:17:06 - The continuity of filming television shows 00:19:24 - Artistry vs. Craftsmanship 00:21:22 - Inspiration through different types of art 00:23:47 - Observing the world through the lens of cinematography 00:25:23 - How he sees his role as a DP 00:28:18 - Spontaneity while filming 00:33:40 - Stuart's journey as a cinematographer 00:50:00 - Stuart's best piece of work / working in TV 01:02:51 - Wrap up www.artistdecoded.com www.instagram.com/stuartdop www.stuartbiddlecombe.co.uk

For the first episode of AD's Movie Club, Justin will be discussing Kiyoshi Kurosawa's 2008 Film Tokyo Sonata with three of his close friends. First, we are joined by photographer and podcast host, Yoshino. Yoshino uses his photography to draw out deep lingering emotions while seeking to unveil a psychological truth embedded within all of us. He attempts to create a dichotomy and a confluence between his observations, molding them together between varying ideas and disparate elements. With these images, he invites the viewer to enter his world and to give space for the contemplation of their own personal framework and reality. Yoshino is also the host of the Artist Decoded podcast. Amirtha Kidambi is a composer, performer, and professor currently living in New York City. Kidambi earned an M.A. in Ethnomusicology from Columbia University, an M.M. in Voice and Musicology at CUNY Brooklyn College, and a B.A. in Voice from Loyola Marymount University. She currently serves on the faculty for the New School, teaching music history courses and heading a large-scale curriculum development project. She has also served on the faculty at Brooklyn College. Ru Storey (They/Them)is a Los Angeles-based queer skater, graphic designer, and editor. Ru and Justin are currently working on a short film to be premiered this summer. Justin Daashuur Hopkins is an internationally exhibited artist and award-winning director. Show Notes: 00:01:47 - Tokyo Sonata's plot 00:04:39 - First reactions/thoughts on the patriarchy 00:09:03 - The historical context of duty and shame 00:14:00 - Structural issues of society and power dynamics 00:24:00 - Questioning your reality and moving towards self-actualization 00:35:38 - Reflections on the conversation 00:39:04 - Elements of a sonata 00:50:12 - Relinquishing of authoritarian control 01:00:58 - Wrap up www.artistdecoded.com www.mubi.com/artistdecoded