Klaimco,

Ralf DeLaCruz –

(klaimco interview)

#

sincerely,
_b


Q:

#1) What was growing up like for you?

I grew up skateboarding and breakdancing and being extremely shy and listening to a lot of funny rap music. I was very shy and always kept to myself, but always had a secret time to make art on my own. I think watching my mom make miniature chairs made me want to explore art even more at a really young age. Art made me confident.


#2) What do you think about?

Every morning drawing sometimes in bed or on the way to work on the train. I guess right now all I think about is making videos and coming up with funny concepts for videos with my friend Hannah or Malcolm. I recently made up NetFLiX 2, it's a video project about the interruption screen/ slow internet connection. Also existing projects is a major constant thought that I think about.

#3) What are your favorite places to go?

Adobe Books in San Francisco, Marin HeadLands, Menlo Park Library, Dollar Stores, Grocery Outlet, and my loft.


#4) Envision a sculpture & explain it?

I love the randomness of trash I find all over the place. The arrangement always looks so careful. Also packaged stuff I find at thrift stores filled with toys, pens, and beads looks so funny. I want to learn how to do that.


#5) Favorite color & why?

My favorite color right now is yellow. I use it almost in everything I make. I use it to resemble energy. The sun to me looks yellow, that's why I like to use it.


#6) List 5 engaging people & why?

1) I've been working with my all time "power couple" Hannah Thomson. She is a huge influence in my work right now and has been, our energy together makes me very happy. I can do and work on anything with her. Our relationship works that way and having someone like that in my life is the ultimate cheat-code in life. Our art together is simply us/love/energy.

2) Brendan Lee has also been a major spark of light on my art, everything he does always blows me away. I remember seeing his art at an early teenage life and has always been sticking with me. I'm really happy he is my friend.

3) My good friend Ian from San Francisco has recently changed my outlook on painting. Everything should be funny, not serious.

4) If I knew Aaliyah I would bless her with so many thank yous. I've been listening to her self titled album "Aaliyah" for a while now and I have fallen head over heals with her passion for love and being in love.

5) This man I met off 6th and Market in San Francisco, he goes by "The last loyal boyscout in San Francisco". His passion and energy to run up and down market to collect trash/recyclables for money made me so excited and hyper to work on my art so intensively. He gave me a burst of light.


#7) List 5 films to watch?

Strangers in Paradise, Who is Bozo Texino, Cléo from 5 to 7, Cave of Forgotten Dreams, and Dark Days.


#8) What are your contemporary thoughts on life? or philosophy?

I never have a lot of money so I make ways to eat for free and get art supplies for free. My friend Bay and I love going to North Beach in San Francisco and eating the leftovers at restaurants, we'll do that for like 4 hours. Also all over the mission, house painters ditch house paint on the streets, I use the left over paint as my main source for paintings. I love the process of art making being completely free and using recycled supplies, it makes my life so much better and exciting. I feel energized to do anything when I can live this way. Paying no rent also parallels to making free art for me, I need all the time I can get If I create my own free world.


#9) Where & What would your house look like if you could build anything?

I would love to live in a brick house or a house surrounded by plants and the sun constantly.


#10) What are 5 things you'd like to accomplish?

1) Save a lot of money to quit my job and travel and work on art.
2) Meet Hannah in Europe this summer.
3) Live for free.
4) Find a stable balance with myself to feel warm and happy this summer.
5) Make new friends, I love people.


& Any last words?

Talk to the people you admire because they are human like all of us and make new friends. Talk to the person next to you and always try to have a good and very nice time.