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Riverside Chats

Self-Taught Painter Eduardo Gardea on Taking the Plunge to Become a Full-Time Artist

Painted self-portrait of Eduardo Gardea. The painting shows him reclined on a blue rectangle (possibly water) set against a green background. He's wearing sunglasses, a red shirt and yellow shorts.
Eduardo Gardea
Self Portrait #4 - 42 x 47 acrylic paint on wood panel

Eduardo Gardea is a self-taught painter who works out of his studio at Hot Shops Art Center in the North Downtown neighborhood. He recently decided to quit his day job and pursue art full-time.

Gardea's work is influenced by stories of the disenfranchised, often encouraging the viewer to think more deeply about the immigrant experience. Gardea has also created a number of murals around Omaha. One of his more recent works can be found on the exterior of Ooh De Lally in Dundee.

In this episode, Gardea is in conversation with Michael Griffin about his artistic process, the administrative hurdles to being a full-time artist, and steps Omaha can take to invest in local artists.

Courtney is back in her hometown after graduating from the University of Kansas in 2019 with degrees in journalism and film. While at KU, she was the arts and culture editor of the University Daily Kansan and had a summer internship at KCUR, Kansas City's NPR member station. She has three pet rats and has seen almost every Audrey Hepburn movie.
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