MEET LOCAL ARTIST LISA HIRATA

Erika Johnson

Long Beach is a special place for artist Lisa Hirata, down to the different cultures, mesmerizing scenery and the festive nightlife.

Hirata has always had an interest in art and being an artist for as long as she can remember. However, it was brought to life when she would frequently visit the diverse city.

She grew up in San Pedro but often found herself going back and forth from there to Long Beach.

“It is very eclectic and diverse and San Pedro is very small and not as diverse,” Hirata said. “Long Beach was always the happening spot and there’s a lot of art and I really like that.”

Hirata graduated from Cal State Long Beach with a degree in graphic design but unfortunately after she graduated she had to put her art on hold.

The unfinished artwork sat in the corner of her room collecting dust and waited for the return of her talented hands.

After she graduated she worked as a background extra for movies and TV shows, which is where she met her boyfriend, Bron Theron, who has done multiple murals around the City of Long Beach.

“I obviously needed money and I found it through the newspaper on campus,” she said. “It was totally random but I feel like everything happened for a reason.”

She worked many odd jobs that weren’t art centered but now she works as a graphic designer in the fashion industry. Hirata designed prints ranging from textile work, embroidery and bohemian-style prints.

Still, the abandoned painting sat in her room staring back at her, forgotten, while she worked her typical 9 to 5 job.

Then in 2019, Hirata was hit with big and exciting news.

“I got approached to do a solo show and I thought it was a great time to finish this piece,” she said.

The solo show was the kick starter for Hirata to dive back into her artwork. She had done group shows before but the solo show gave her a new but rewarding experience.

For the solo show, she had to produce multiple pieces to display and even though she felt a bit rusty she was still more than willing to showcase her work.

The amount of people taking in her art and giving it their full attention was nerve-racking in the beginning. It had Hirata’s mind racing with thoughts of disapproval and distaste.

“I’m a very shy person and when someone is staring at my art for so long I immediately think this person must be critiquing my work,” Hirata said. “It was like I was back in college and my professors were critiquing my artwork all over again.”

Hirata’s wave of anxiety suddenly washed over when she realized the crowd’s reaction to her work was positive. People would come up to her and ask her questions about her art and the genuine curiosity put her mind at ease.

The positive feedback she received from her solo show gave her the motivation to produce more art and give it more attention.

When it came to her art style, Hirata’s style has gone through significant changes throughout the years. Her work once started off as a reflection of what was going on in her life at the time which produced into a very dark-goth, morbid and haunting theme. Now, her art is very bright and she uses women as the center of attention. She draws them as celestial beings or portrays them as goddesses.

“Drawing women has always been my favorite focus but now it’s been more about representing women, different women of color and femininity,” Hirata said. “It has definitely evolved into a more whimsical approach compared to where I started.”

Even though Hirata draws some inspiration from the city, she always finds herself working from home in her living room. Since she lives with Theron, the two motivate each other in their own ways to get some work done.

However, since his style is produced on a larger scale and Hirata is used to a much smaller scale it can be hard to inspire each other. But the encouragement and motivation is still present in the household.

“We’re always kind of in awe of each other,” she said. “It’s like this guy is doing this so I need to get myself together.”

Long Beach is filled with different artists and Hirata draws inspiration from them no matter big or small.

“You just got to do your own thing and as long as you have passion for your art somebody has to like it.”

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