Woman Power, Art and Lowriding in LA - Meet Jacqueline Valenzuela

The “Chicano” world of lowrider culture can seem a daunting and intimidating world to enter. Full of growling engines, exhaust fumes and enough masculine energy that you can smell the testosterone. Yet for Jacqueline Valenzuela—a Los Angeles based painter, this is the world she lives for. Her work focuses on capturing the women who own these lowrider cars and against all the odds are empowering themselves, rising up in a traditionally male-dominated world.

These women are standing up and making a name for themselves on the streets; and they are not asking permission. By personally buying the cars, they have created a sense of independence and membership in this exclusive scene and it’s definitely a welcome sight to behold.

Born and bred in Los Angeles to Mexican-immigrant parents, Valenzuela is a beautiful mix of cultures, describing herself as a “nerdy girl who had straight As in high school and...was into the East LA punk scene”; it’s funny to see that the chicano lowrider culture is an undeniable part of her DNA. After studying Fine Art at CSULB (California State University Long Beach), Valenzuela took the plunge and committed herself into breaking into the art scene and making it her career. Things weren’t always smooth for her though as she had to manage juggling a day job as a tutor for children while spending over 50 hours a week in her studio continuously working on her craft. Then COVID-19 hit and with the prospect of her day job closing down for a while, she went as far as to do commissioned watercolour paintings of people’s pets in order to pay the bills and pursue her passion.

It all worked out though and through determination and will, Valenzuela has leapt from success to success, pushing her art to the limits and creating bolder and grander visions for her artwork. Most recently she has been commissioned to create custom mural paintings on lowrider cars, turning these modes of transportation into mind-blowing kinetic works of art. At GATA we got the chance to talk to this fiery talent in the art world, discussing the rising role of women in the lowrider scene, the religious imagery that decorates the Cadillacs she depicts and the magic of the city of LA.

Hello Jacqueline; how have you been? Has the pandemic had an effect on your creative work?

Hello! I have been fairly good, just staying busy and creating. The pandemic definitely affected the way in which I work. For starters, I had never been a commission artist before. I typically would only focus on my personal work. But, due to the pandemic, I was forced to make my art my main source of income. I started off doing pet portraits because it’s more palatable than my colorful and loud personal work. Eventually, I started to get commissioned for pieces that matched my own work more. Then from there, I transitioned to painting on actual Lowriders. The pandemic did throw me for a loop but led me to the success I have now with painting custom murals on Lowriders.

We would like to talk about the women you paint. Who are they, and is there a story behind each finished canvas?

The women I paint are a plethora of women who have faced similar experiences as me within the lowriding community. One common factor has been the sometimes negative reaction that lowrider men have to women within our communities holding their own. The main idea of my work is to highlight these women who play central roles. They work on their cars, they drive their cars and they care about their cars just as much as the men. So it’s important to show them and their power through my paintings.
Each canvas doesn’t necessarily have a story behind them, but more a sense of who each individual woman is. I often paint architectural markers, street signs, and graffiti in my canvas paintings. These are meant to make you feel as if you are the woman being depicted. As if you’re cruising down a street and seeing this scenery rush by you as you drive.

What was it like for you to be recognized as a contemporary artist in a place like LA?

It was extremely rewarding to be recognized as a contemporary artist. I personally never knew this type of career would be possible for a woman like me. What I mean by that is, my parents are immigrants and a career choice such as mine isn’t typically encouraged. So I truly am grateful for everything I’ve been able to achieve within the last 3 years since I graduated from art school.

When you make murals, what are your main inspirations? We can often see religious elements. Has religion been an essential part of your growth and learning?

Honestly, my main inspirations when it comes to mural work on Lowriders revolves mostly around what the client wants. They have these elaborate ideas and with my skill level, I bring their ideas to life. A lot of my clients want floral or Catholic imagery on their cars. Aesthetically it’s pleasing so I put my all into their requests to create something that fulfils their wants but also is reflective of my own art.

I’m not religious although I did grow up in a Catholic household. I personally don’t practice because I haven’t really thought about what I do or don’t believe in. I also have a weird relationship with religion because of colonization. I don’t ever let my personal beliefs affect the quality of my work. I can and do paint a beautiful and mesmerizing Virgen.

Tell us more about lowrider car culture; how important was it for you to become an active part of it, and how were you introduced to this culture?

Lowrider car culture is deeply rooted in art, family and community. All of these reasons are why I felt drawn to this life. I’ve truly found a sense of a second family and camaraderie amongst the people I’ve surrounded myself with. It was very important to me to be as active as I could be. There’s two main reasons for this: one is that art should be accessible to all walks of life and especially to children. So I feel that by being an artist and a lowrider maybe I can make art accessible to the children within this community. That could have a positive impact on their life. Most of them (just like 6 year old me) don’t know that an art career is possible for them. Or that they can bring their communities to the forefront through creating. Secondly, by being an artist and a lowrider I’ve been able to solidify the importance that women play in these communities. The fact that I not only paint these women but that I am one of these women is empowering. I love knowing that I can modify and paint my own car without having to go to someone else, or paying someone to fix my car for me.

I was introduced to this world by my now fiancé, Mark Anthony Hocutt. He grew up around car culture his whole life. Prior to meeting him, I did see Lowriders off of Whittier Blvd every weekend growing up. And I thought the cars were beautiful. But, I’ll admit I never truly appreciated how these cars are kinetic art until Mark showed me how passionate he was. Once that clicked I went full in. My own love for lowriding only deepened when Mark bought me my Cadillac.

Could you explain to us what it's like to become a lowrider? Could you tell us a little bit more about the customization process?

It’s honestly not as crazy to get into this world as most people would think. You need a car, you need to be passionate and you have to be willing to pour time and money into your car. I don’t really consider myself a lowrider. My car isn’t lowered and I’ve yet to install my hydraulic system. My car falls more into the category of “70s Kustom”. The customization process is long and stressful. These cars and ideas are not built overnight. It’s years of knowledge being put into each individual car. Luckily my fiancé does Kustom's 70s paint jobs and can do “Kustom” modifications to our cars. I’m always happy to learn so I make it a point to work alongside him.

There are a ton of things you can customize on these car builds, it’s always about doing something to your car that not only shows who you are but that can hopefully make an impact in the car world. I just installed stained glass opera windows into my Cadillac, seeing people’s reactions to a random crazy idea I had is rewarding.

As you mentioned previously, you get a lot of sexist comments for being a woman and owning a Cadillac. Have you started to see the difference in current times compared to the past? Do you think men are slowly realising that things are changing?

I would say that recently I have seen younger women who own their own cars. Which is amazing because most of these women grew up in this community. Rather than find a partner who had a car I see these women buying their own cars and putting in the work. I think men are noticing this. I wouldn’t say every man is excited about it. The good men with good character have always been nothing but supportive to me and other women like me though. And that’s all that matters.

There are some Latina Lowrider documentaries out there, do you think there are more and more women joining because they feel less repressed than before?

I wouldn’t say they feel less repressed. I would say they just feel more empowered. A common idea I have run into while interviewing and painting other women's lowriders is that they want younger women to see them and in turn know that they can have their own cars. They can cruise and work in their cars. It’s not a man’s world.

What do you like the most about the Cholo subculture?

Personally, I wouldn’t consider lowrider and cholo culture to be the same thing. I think that’s a common misconception. I grew up in an immigrant household. Being a cholo or Chola was something that was frowned upon. I wouldn’t say there’s anything I like about cholo subculture because I’m not from a barrio or a set. I listen to oldies, souldies, and funk. I have a Kustom car and I’m covered in tattoos. But, I went to a university. I have a bachelor’s degree in Fine Art. I haven’t been arrested since I was a teenager. I can see how the aesthetic of cholo or gang culture is appealing. But they aren’t who I am. I’m a nerdy girl who had straight A’s in high school and who honestly was deep into the East LA punk scene more than anything else.

If we were to go to LA, and have a super lowriding experience, what would be your tips?

I would have to suggest definitely stopping by Montebello Park off of Whittier Blvd. There’s also the 15th street cruises which happen most weekends. Clearly, it’s a must to stop by the Whittier Blvd arch even though the traffic on Whittier Blvd is a nightmare. Also, I would recommend getting to know the artist within this community in the LA area. There’s El Classico Tattoo in Echo Park, The Kolor Studio in Santa Fe Springs, Studio 93 is the city of Commerce and numerous photographers like @la_relections or @street_coverage_original.

What are your goals or future plans?

I have many goals but my biggest one right now is to paint my Cadillac. I’ve given customers my all. And I think it’s time to pour love and time into my own build.