[NoHo Arts District, CA] – This month’s LA Art blog artist Q&A with Raleigh Gallina features a chat with artist Christopher Alberico.
A Southern California native now based in West Hollywood, Christopher Alberico is a self-taught artist who brings a raw, intuitive energy to the canvas. Working primarily with acrylics, oils, charcoal, aerosol, and mixed media, he creates bold, emotive works that explore themes of duality, movement, and emotion, often intertwined with pop culture and political commentary. After a decade-long career in health and fitness, a chance encounter with a local street artist and the life-changing isolation of the pandemic set Alberico on a new path: one of relentless creativity and self-discovery through art. Without formal training but fueled by an obsessive passion, he built his practice through experimentation, drawing inspiration from street artists, abstract expressionists, architecture, and daily life.
Q: How long have you been an artist? What has been your professional trajectory/arc?
A: I started painting in 2019, just before the pandemic. Although I always enjoyed drawing as a kid, I never pursued art seriously until adulthood. My journey really began after trading personal training sessions for a piece of art from a client, which sparked my curiosity. Without any formal training, I taught myself through trial and error, heavily influenced by street artists like Domingo Zapata and ThankYouX. When the pandemic hit, I focused on painting full-time, which allowed me to develop my unique style and start selling pieces to friends and family.
Q: How has your practice changed over time?
A: Over time, I’ve become more confident in my skills, more willing to experiment, and better at recognizing when a piece is complete. My work has shifted from being chaotic and color-heavy to more refined, calm, and balanced, using more negative space. I’ve also expanded the mediums I work with, adding oil, charcoal, spray paint, and other materials to my original acrylic-on-canvas practice.
Q: What media do you use to create your art? What process do you use?
A: I use canvas, acrylics, oil paints, charcoal, spray paint, crayon, gel, and latex house paint. For mixed media pieces, I often incorporate old street signs and magazine ads. My creative process is very intuitive — usually with music or a podcast playing — and I often work on 4–5 pieces simultaneously, moving between them as inspiration strikes.
Q: What is your inspiration? Who inspires you personally and professionally?
A: Pop culture, daily life, politics, my Catholic upbringing, and my emotions all inspire my work. Artists like ThankYouX, Retna, Willem and Elaine de Kooning, Jacques Villeglé, Raymond Hains, Flore, Louis Carreon, Damien Hirst, Domingo Zapata, Picasso, and architects like Richard Neutra and Kengo Kuma have had a big influence on me.
Q: What is life like as an artist?
A: It’s a mix of fun, stress, chaos, and fulfillment. While painting itself feels freeing and joyful, the business side — like marketing, website management, and networking — is the real grind. I balance my art career with a second job, which requires careful time management.
Q: What artistic challenges have you faced, and how did you overcome them?
A: The biggest challenge has been dedicating enough time to the business side of art. I’m overcoming it by being more intentional about my schedule, making sure that about 25% of my art time each week goes toward marketing and business tasks.
Q: What project or piece of work are you most proud of?
A: I don’t have a single piece I’m most proud of — I tend to favor my latest work because I can see my growth and skill improvement over time.
Through a constantly evolving process that blends structured technique with spontaneous intuition, Alberico has carved out a distinct visual language that is both powerful and personal. Life as an artist has proven to be a balancing act — full of highs, challenges, and tireless behind-the-scenes work — but it’s also a life driven by passion and a commitment to authentic expression. With each new piece, their voice grows louder, more confident, and more refined. Though the journey is still unfolding, one thing remains clear: the art is not just about creating images; it’s about creating a feeling, a connection, and a space for reflection in an often chaotic world.
Keep up with Chris Alberico:
Instagram: @calberico
TikTok: @calberico7