Remember the phenomenal Wo-Woman, WOMAN OF EXCELLENCE, Miss Magda Love, who floored us with her compelling and textured nostalgic curation of 20 visual artists along with Monica Watkins in the “Beauty Undefined” exhibition? Well, we do for sure and since we are so enamored with our muralist of love we had to create a double whammy of Magda Love content this week by covering Love’s most recent pop up shop at Extra Butter. The product is available here ( http://shop.extrabutterny.com/search?type=product&q=magda+love ) and oh is it fresh.

So make sure you check out all of the cool products and let us know your favorite picks. And, of course, read the rad interview below to grasp Love’s narrative and perspective on authenticity, life, Art and all things COOL!

HoC: Describe your background. What was your childhood like?

MAGDA LOVE: I was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. My mom is a teacher and my father an artist. I have a huge family, tons of cousins. I loved spending the weekends in the country side with all my family. I have great memories of my childhood. During my teenage years I felt I didn’t belong anywhere. I loved reading, nature, and school. I spent a lot of time wandering aimlessly just thinking about the world. I was into philosophy and poetry. My father, a sculptor had a beautiful garden and would take me for walks and teach me about the trees. My mother really forged my determination and work ethic. She is such a positive, kind human being.

HoC: Who are you? What is your purpose on the planet?

MAGDA LOVE: Making it a kinder place in general, make lots of art and creating a positive shift for our future generations. I want to be happy and create happiness around me. I want to feel at the end of my life, I’ve left the world a better place for my son.

HoC: What inspired you to be a visual artist?

MAGDA LOVE: I grew up surrounded by artists and musicians . Making things with my hands was always a natural part of life. I wrote, I played instruments, I drew, I took photos etc.  Creating is just a part of who I am.

HoC: How would you describe the philosophy of your artistic brand and what process did you go through to create that philosophy?

MAGDA LOVE: I believe it is very important to be connected to yourself and the things and people you care for deeply. Everything grows from there. Allowing yourself a place to explore, create dialogue, and communicate your vision. I tend to over work; I paint, produce, email and create new projects constantly. I feel fortunate to do what I love! I think it’s important to do what you love no matter what your profession is. Live life passionately and with a full heart; anything in between is boring. I always remind myself to enjoy every moment, even when I am stuck with crazy deadlines !

HoC: How did you get the opportunity to participate in the interactive mural pop up?

MAGDA LOVE: I have been to Extra Butter several times and loved the shop. My manager from The Front Side Agency, introduced them to my work. They were really excited about pushing the envelope and eager for me to go crazy conceptually. It turned out to be such an awesome collaboration we may have to do it again soon!

HoC: What was the most important reality you learned as a result of seeing your vision for this activation all the way through?

MAGDA LOVE: That when you have a good idea, you have to save it, and stick with it! I have been wanting to paint a whole room for a while, the timing and the space were perfect. The idea of an interactive mural was very appealing to me.  I wanted to invite people to be part of the experience, move pieces around, take a piece home. The idea of being part of an experience, not only as a viewer but also as an active participant, is very interesting. To spark a sense of playfulness and almost childlike experience in the viewer was really amazing. It was so much fun to see people interacting with the pieces.

HoC: What role does authenticity play in your work?

MAGDA LOVE: Being authentic is fundamental. That comes with time. Growing up and discovering about yourself, finding who you are not only as an artist but a person. It is important to find out what are you good at and what you can be better at. My art comes from a very emotional and personal place. I couldn’t imagine my art not being an authentic reflection of my own narrative.

HoC: How do you define Art? What role does Art play in the evolution of you as a human being?

MAGDA LOVE: Definitions are not what I am best at. I can tell you that art is expression. It’s something really powerful that must be said. All the artwork I love I am mostly touched by the way it makes me feel! Art and music have always played fundamental roles in most of revolutionary and social movements.

As an artist I can tell you I couldn’t live without creating. It is just naturally inserted in who I am and what I love to do. It’s inertia almost.

I need to make things! I have grown into a much stronger person through my journey as an artist: traveling, interacting with different cultures, learning about places and always working on new things. These truths really keep me going. I love what I do, love making art and I feel fortunate that I have the opportunity to do that everyday now.

HoC: What does success look like for Magda Love?

MAGDA LOVE: Success is a tricky word, but in the practical sense, success looks like tons of love: my kid smiling, plenty of traveling, big big murals, and the list goes on and on. Success is to be excited about the projects you have and the people you are working with.  It’s the process more than the destination!

HoC: How do you qualify success in your life in general?

MAGDA LOVE: Love, love and more love.

HoC: What Artists inspire you the most now and why?

MAGDA LOVE: I have always been inspired by Louise Bourgeois. She was such a unique woman. Her work was so heavily connected to her emotional life. I remember seeing a retrospective show at the Hirshhorn Museum in 2008 and being totally blown away. I think it really showed me how important it is to invest it ALL and literally pour it all out in your artwork. I also AM inspired by Patti Smith. She is such a prolific musician but also writes incredible poetry and novels. Yoko Ono who I was fortunate to meet last year is rather dynamic as well. All of these incredible women have inspired me, showed how much strength there is in vulnerability, how courageous we must be to make artwork that is valuable and honest, etc.

I have to say also I have so many talented friends that inspire me on a regular basis. To see them grow and getting to places that they wanna go to is amazing. Sonni and Esteban Del Valle, incredible artists and human beings. Kiran Ghandi, a crazy talented musician and activist. I am surrounded by so many incredible people. It’s important to be among people who do things passionately,  keeps you going and inspires you always to do more as well.

HoC: What advice can you give aspiring visual artists?

MAGDA LOVE: It isn’t rocket science, have fun!!! Be unique and work your ass off. Work ethic its fundamental!

HoC: If you could change one thing on this planet, what would it be and how would you dare to change it?

MAGDA LOVE: I would hope for a more empathetic world, where we respect and love each other more. I have been immensely fortunate to travel abroad.  Most recently on a visit to Cambodia. I had the honor of working with Together 1 Heart and Beauty for Freedom where I used my art as a tool to promote awareness and positive change.  There’s lots of things to be changed, but with more love and education so much can be accomplished.

HoC: What is love and how does it shape your life?

MAGDA LOVE: Love is my compass. It moves everything I do. I always hope my work inspires people to connect more with themselves, nature and others. being a mother has shown me what unconditional love means. It has shown me how as women; we are capable of giving so much of ourselves to those we love. We are blessed with an unlimited amount of love. And I always try to convey all that creative power in my artwork.

HoC: What is the meaning of life?

MAGDA LOVE: Who knows what this all means… I believe we are all given gifts and to utilize them to the fullest potential. We are meant to live with open and full hearts in my opinion. This must be a requirement for all of us. I always remind myself to trust where I am going; to be patient; to stay open to magical things; to support my family and those who love me; to smile often and to go to the ocean as often as possible too!

Life is a work in progress. I learn so much about myself everyday through my artwork and my traveling. Growing into my thirties has taught me that I don’t need to have all the answers and that having the right intentions coupled with hard work is a great place to start.

HoC: What should we expect next from you next?

MAGDA LOVE: Expect the Unexpected!

There’s much more Magda Love to be seen!

HoC: What is the heart of cool to you?

MAGDA LOVE: A platform to celebrate and inspire each other!

💜Love & Light🌞,
Cristen M. Mills