Alexandra Waldhorn: Who are the segmented beings and giants that you paint, emerging from medieval looking villages, trees and bleak lands?

Justin Lovato: Usually there are trees emerging from these buildings and characters. To me, that particular image represents a reminder that no matter what we build or what we have evolved into, or however many iPhones we make, we have a raw, primal instinct that reflects our origin from the chaos of nature. Wherever we are we are in an ecosystem, and I like to think this way.

However, I also use the medieval imagery sometimes to represent our slow cold drift towards a neo-feudal state. I don't think that we are literally feudalists, but I think that due to globalism, corporate dominance over natural resources, predatory banking world wide, and the continued use of technology to advance dominance over the human race, dominance over genetics and food, we may be heading in this direction. The new kings are industry titans, and warlords.

Are there any new themes you’re focusing on right now?

Lately I've been using a lot of my organic, tree-like images along side very geometrical shapes to represent the contrasting opposites found in everything. All aspects of nature and human experience embody this concept of opposing opposites working as one, from protons and electrons, to suns and moons, feminine and masculine aspects. I want to embrace this idea in my art more directly. My art always lives in my dreams and subconscious, so I will always try to embody those themes as well.

I want to create my own world through my art. My real goal is to someday capture the feeling of being in awe of this very existence. The feeling of realizing that I am on a blue dot called earth and one speck of dust in a universe that is all connected through waves, patterns, and shapes. Infinite consciousness with reoccurring themes, currently experiencing my life as a human being on earth.

What are three words that could describe the world you paint?

Dream world manifested.

You use a lot of old symbolism and illuminati imagery. What does this mean to you?

Well, the "illuminati" symbolism is really just Masonic imagery, which is templar imagery, which is Rosicrucian mystic symbology, which is all Egyptian symbology that mirrors a lot of eastern symbology, as well as other civilizations throughout the ages.

I choose to use these mystical, astrological, spiritually metaphorical symbols because I believe that these are symbols that can be interpreted by anybody to mean various different things depending on who you are and were you come from. I know Carl Jung believed in a universal symbology that is embedded in the human subconscious, primordial archetypes.

I tend to lean towards the notion that these symbols reflect that idea. That’s probably why you see this symbolism pretty much everywhere you look if you’re looking for it. Almost every major corporation uses it in their logos; maybe they are trying to tap into the universal subconscious as well? Chevron has the double-stacked square, which is a military symbol, shell has a sunrise, Nike is a Saturnian ring, AOL pyramids, Texico and Lockeed Martin's pentagrams, CBS's Eye of Horus, just a pinch of examples. This old symbolism is everywhere if you want to see it.

But, the good thing about art is that anybody can relate, and everybody has there own interpretation. Sometimes I think that my interpretation of my own art may ruin another person’s experience, and I respect everybody's opinion.

I have had people at shows love a painting and then I explain it from my perspective and they seem surprised and dismayed, then uninterested. I think those people are missing out on life if they want everything packaged and delivered for them, I say you have free reign to interpret things as you wish.

Please check out my blog: justinlovato.blogspot.com, also my website, www.justinlovato.com.

Didn't catch part 1 of this interview? Read it now here.

See Justin's latest work as part of Hot Freaks, opening tonight, Thursday, August 5th at 111 Minna Gallery

More info at www.111minnagallery.com

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