The Artistic Essence of Roger eyes r.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of downtown Santa Ana, outside Hopper and Burr, I found myself sharing cups of espresso and chai tea with Roger Reyes, known in the art community as Roger Eyes R. We didn't just sip our drinks; we plunged into the depths of his life as an artist, tracing the lines from a child’s simple coloring assignment to the complex tapestry of community, identity, and art that defines his current work.

This intimate conversation will reveal how the vibrant streets of Santa Ana nurtured Roger Eyes R.'s creative spirit and how his roots in this city intertwine with his creative expressions. We'll reminisce about the iconic cruising days on Bristol Street, a nostalgic nod to Santa Ana's cultural history, while uncovering the struggles and victories that sculpted his path from a curious child to a celebrated muralist of 'Santa Ana Reflections.'

Prepare to step into the world of an artist who is as much a part of Santa Ana's story as the city is a part of his art. Let's uncover the man behind the murals, the artist behind the name: Roger Eyes R. 

From Coloring to Murals: The Early Years

Interviewer: Hi, Roger. Thanks for making time for us today. Let's start with an introduction. Can you tell our readers about yourself and your background?

Roger Eyes R.: My name is Roger Reyes, but in downtown Santa Ana, I'm known as Roger Eyes R.  I've been an artist all my life and it really did start that way for me. My journey began in kindergarten here in Santa Ana. We had a coloring assignment based on the children's book,  "The Little Train Who Could." My teacher was so impressed with my work that she asked me to redraw it on a larger paper. My classmates began requesting drawings from me too. My teacher even submitted my artwork to a children's contest. It wasn't until the end of the year that I got my artwork back, I'm like, oh I forgot about this and she mentioned it had been displayed at a bank … and so that was it.

From that point on, I identified as an artist. 

While my parents were supportive, they had their reservations. Throughout high school, I pursued art, but like many Hispanic families, my dad had concerns about my future. He'd ask, "Mijo, that's good, but how will you earn a living?" ¿Cómo te vas a mantener?" I’d always reply that's what I'm going to do. I believe I've proven that to them now.

Embracing Santa Ana's Roots

Fourth Street looking east from Broadway in 1983 Source via Santa Ana Public Library

Interviewer: How did your upbringing in Santa Ana shape you and your art?

Roger Eyes R: I was actually born in Garden Grove, but my family moved to a house on Cubbon street in Santa Ana when I was just four.

Growing up in Santa Ana, particularly during the '80s, was interesting because first off, I am the first born so I really didn’t have any primos that knew English. But in Santa Ana, everyone's Hispanic. I mean, I look Hispanic, and everyone around me was. It never felt like I had to overly lean into my culture. Pero, this is the 80’s and kids are like breakdancing and I remember being made fun of in second grade because of the way I spoke English. The kids would ask, “why do you talk like how they talk on TV? So, hinting that I sounded "white". They'd call me a 'coconut' and even the cholos would tease me, especially because I had long hair.

I loved funk music, and while I never pushed away from my culture, I also didn't make it the only thing that defined me. My cousins would even call me 'Pocho'. I felt like I didn’t fit here nor there.

As I grew older, I fell in love more with where I came from. I recognized my potential as an artist and felt a pull towards Santa Ana, thinking, "Why take my art elsewhere when there's so much potential here?" There’s a need here. I saw something in my city.

Interviewer: You mentioned that you saw something special in Santa Ana. Can you describe what you see?

Roger Eyes R. : I really do think we have something special. Not only is it the county seat, but it also has the highest concentration of Hispanics in the county. This vibrant pocket of culture has so much life. I have deep roots here, I grew up here. And while some might have reservations about its reputation, saying things like, "Oh no, I wouldn’t go to Santa Ana," I see it differently. I've always chosen to see the beauty in everything. After all, I'm an artist, and that's what we do. Santa Ana is not just a place; to me, it's an inspiration, there is something beautiful here that we have.

The Professional Leap: Art as a Lifelong Pursuit

Interviewer: Can you tell us how your career as an artist took off?

Roger Eyes R.: I went to Santa Ana College and studied fine arts. During this time, I did a lot of community and commission work, and a few group showings here and there.

After college, I didn’t want art to be my job because I thought it wouldn’t be fun anymore. So I was doing high-end retail at South Coast. So when the bubble burst, I ended up leaving retail.

I thought, “Why not pursue what I truly love? That’s when I started painting again. I remember thinking, “How exactly do you do this?

Deep down, I already knew I needed to get out there and start participating and engaging with the community. And that's what I did. I started showing at different shows in downtown Santa Ana. Hector from GCS gave me the first leg up.

I remember him telling me, "You're always here. I've got a space, about two by three feet. Can you fill it up?" I created a mixed media piece, now displayed at Elite Fitness.

So that is pretty much how I started.

Roger's Impact on Community and Culture

Interviewer: You've spoken about the post-college phase and finding your own path. Were there any pivotal events that influenced your journey?

Roger Eyes R: A significant turning point was reuniting with an old college friend, Alicia, after not seeing her for over a decade. We studied together in South County. By the time we reconnected, she was both a mother and a full-time artist. She was really engaged in the community. She was a founding member of the Santa Ana Community Artist Coalition, and I was fortunate to be invited as a member. I really liked what they were building. Everything we did aimed to benefit the community. I particularly appreciated the democratic approach of the coalition; every decision was made collectively through voting. The first project we did was the Madre Naturaleza mural. It was female led and I was a helping hand. While it's not uncommon for artists to collaborate, this was collaboration on an entirely different scale. I had never engaged in such a cooperative endeavor to that degree. Experiencing this firsthand provided a huge learning experience. It was really nice to see what real collaboration looked like.

Madre Naturaleza Mural at 419 N

Interviewer: While collaborating with the Santa Ana Artist Community Artist Coalition, did you find any projects that deeply resonated with you?

Roger Eyes R.: We started doing work with inner city neighborhoods, we went straight into heavy gang junction neighborhoods like Myrtle. We talked to the people there, designed and painted alongside them. One aspect that deeply impacted me was witnessing the transformative power of handing a paintbrush to a kid. I would tell the kids "pintalo", their astonishment at being allowed to paint was noticeable. They'd reply, "I can paint it?” and I'd confirm, "Yes, you can." It's very powerful. You really do see something has changed. I fell in love with that part of the process. It was so rewarding.

Challenges and Triumphs: Navigating the Art World

Interviewer: What challenges and lessons have you encountered along the way?

Roger Eyes R.: The first thing that comes to mind is that it can be challenging to really do art professionally and knowing how artists can sometimes be taken for granted. While we serve a vital purpose, there's this perception that our contributions are disposable. That is a really hard pill to swallow and can make it hard to do business. For instance, when quoting a project's cost, I'd often hear, "I only have this much," which might not even cover material expenses. The ensuing request would then be, "Can you donate your time?" But I can't always work for free. These experiences have really taught me how to work with people, how to be flexible and teach people to see the value of art and artists.

But, I don’t really make art to sell, I sell my projects and ideas. This approach led me to learn grant writing and to work with the city and school districts. The projects sell themselves because they always have an element of community and it’s also the collaborations I have made with other individuals that has been the biggest leg up.

Bringing "Santa Ana Reflejos" to Life

 

Interviewer: Congrats on your latest mural, "Santa Ana Reflejos". What was the creative process like?

Roger Eyes R.: Thank you. Remember how I mentioned the little train who could? At the end of the mural, there's a depiction of my daughter painting a train, referencing back to when I painted a train at five years old. Now, she's six and continuing that legacy. So there’s a lot of connecting factors to the images that I chose. The whole mural is really a reflection of Santa Ana. For every cardinal direction—North, East, South, West—there's a landmark. And there's a lowrider, which brings back memories from high school. On Easter Sundays, lowriders basically locked down all of Bristol and the cops were running around, but it was so much fun. Sure there were some people acting fools, but it's all part of Santa Ana's culture. People would come from outside the city to hang out and cruise down Bristol. No one really talks about it much, so that is why the lowrider is there. 

Photo Credit: Robert Sanchez via Facebook

Homage to the Godfathers of Chicano Art: Exploring Inspiration in the Mural

Interviewer: What inspired you to pay homage to artists like Emigdio Vasquez and Sergio O’ Cadez in your mural, and what significance do they hold in your artistic journey?

Roger Eyes R.: They are basically the Godfathers of Chicano art here in Orange County. Their work and mere existence were significant inspirations for me. And that's really why I feel my calling as an artist is this: all you need to do is produce work. Simply through your work, you can influence and inspire. When others see you doing it, it adds another layer of impact. I had the chance to see Emigdio paint in 1990 when I was ten years old. I recall my mom driving past the old bus depot in the civic center. When I saw him, I was so surprised and exclaimed to my mom, "Mira, está pintando!" That moment planted a seed in my head, which is why it was important for me to pay homage to them.

Interviewer: Did you tackle the mural painting solo?

Roger Eyes R.: Yes! However, that is an undertaking I am never doing again. I stopped counting after 800 hours. I've revisited a few times to apply sealant, and it still needs two more coats because the direct sunlight really takes a beating on the walls. While I did the majority of the painting myself, nothing is ever truly accomplished in isolation. On three different days, for a few hours at different stages of the mural process, a painting contractor, a close friend, and my wife and daughter lent a hand. The main reasons I opted to do most of it alone was that the project happened really fast, leaving me little time to get a team together; I didn't have the budget to pay anyone; and the painting schedule was erratic. How could I ask someone to join me at four in the morning? The location's constraints didn't permit any cherry pickers, lifts, or scaffolding since it was situated in a parking lot. As a result, everything was more challenging. The project spanned three walls and totaled 180ft, considering all the doorways and windows. Despite the challenges, I couldn’t be happier with the work.

What's Next for Roger eyes r.: Future Projects and Visions

"Noche Estrellada" This piece was inspired by Vincent Van Gogh’s impressionist master piece “Starry Night” and by my hometown’s historical landmarks; Santa Ana Water Tower, The Old Courthouse, Spurgeon Building and the Santora Bldg in DTSA.Interviewer: What's next on your list? Any upcoming projects or plans we can anticipate?

Roger Eyes R. : It's too early. The mural is just so fresh. What was really nice is to get feedback from the artist community. Gallery owners who came and visited the show, and it sounds like I am tooting my own horn, were impressed with my work. It's really nice to hear them say, “I’ve never seen work like this from you. And I'm excited to see more work like this." I am much more than a muralist. I am not pigeonholed to just one thing. I do all kinds of stuff and I am really really proud of the installation of the mural. I love doing installations. It was the first opportunity I had to execute something on that level. I’m having talks to do more work like this and it’s open a few more doors or at least some interest. I’m excited to see where this kind of goes from here. What I am excited about is not just where this is going to take me, but how I'm able to connect this with the community. I want to do more sculptures, seeing it's a great way to reach the community. I have ideas but we’ll see where it goes.

Staying Connected: Follow Roger eyes r.'s Artistic Journey

Interviewer: How can readers stay in touch with you?

Roger Eyes R.: The best way to stay updated with my work is through Instagram. I frequently share updates, especially when I'm working on a project. And my website has more finished content.

 

And that's a wrap on our chat with Roger Eyes R., the local artist who's painting Santa Ana's vibrant story. From his childhood doodles to the impressive "Santa Ana Reflections" mural, we've taken a colorful journey through his life and art.

What's on the horizon for him? Well, it seems the canvas of his future is wide open, and we can expect more exciting projects and creative endeavors. Whether it's sculptures, installations, or another striking mural, we're in for a visual treat.

Stay in the loop by following him on Instagram @rogereyesr and checking out his website https://www.rogereyesr.com/ for updates on his latest creations.

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