Today we’d like to introduce you to Chilly Rodriguez
Hi Chilly, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Born and raised in Toledo, Ohio, Chris always had a strong interest in art as a kid , it was through skateboarding that he discovered his love for graffiti and street art. He would find a sense of comfort and joy exploring abandoned buildings and sneaking around train yards to paint the trains as a teenager.
Growing up in a broken home Chris’s path to becoming a professional artist wouldn’t be an easy one, in his 20s he would struggle with his addiction to alcohol and it wouldn’t be until he was 28 after losing his left hand in an alcohol related injury that he would finally get sober and stay sober.
In the years since his accident he has worked on numerous large scale mural projects and has painted in many cities across the country. In the winter of 2022 Chris transformed a rundown retail space on Toledo’s East Side into one of the city’s leading galleries, The River East Gallery.
Chris’s main area of focus is public art and he believes that the power of art can truly transform the community in which it is placed. Chris hopes that his story is a reminder that no matter what one might have gone through in the past anything is possible if you put your mind and soul into it.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road to the destination I currently sit at as been anything but smooth. From a young age I’ve always had an interest in being creative and art, Unfortunately both my parents were drug addicts who could never take care of me so I was bounced around from my grandmas house to different family members throughout most of my childhood and teenage years. I mention this because through all of that chaos the positive things I showed interest in were never nurtured or appreciated.
Also through all the chaos of my younger years I picked up my own bad habits, I tried to cope with all the trauma I had gone through with drugs and alcohol . During my early 20s I struggled very heavy with addiction but at the same time I was showing more interest in art and painting, I started to notice that art was becoming a outlet for me to express my self and deal with a lot of emotional pain I had suppressed over the years. However I still struggled with addictions and in the winter of 2018 I had become so intoxicated that I literally blew my left hand off with dynamite.
Thankfully a few months later I finally got sober and stayed sober ever since and during that time I started to take my art more serious and opportunities started to present themselves to me almost instantly. I’m goin on my 7th year of sobriety but also as a full time working professional artist. There has been more bumps in the road on this journey but I’ve learned to not let the bumps knock me off course anymore but instead learn the lesson in the obstacle and move past it and elevate from it.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m an Artist/Muralist & Gallery owner. I specialize in large scale murals, I’m more drawn to painting murals because I come from a graffiti background. I’ve been self taught my whole life and learned most of my skills painting in train yards and abandoned buildings. So I naturally I’m just drawn to sharing my work in a public space. I also believe that murals are an important aspect to every community, I believe the power that public art can have on uplifting the neighborhoods and communities in which they live. I know the powerful and positive effect art has had on me , So I’d like to think that with every mural i paint I’m helping plant seeds for others that need it the way I did.
I also co-own The River East Gallery In Toledo, Ohio , After out growing a smaller studio space My art partner Con-Tron decided we wanted to expand and a opportunity to rent a large space became available and we took on our next challenge. What started as a rundown tattoo studio we renovated ourselves into one of the cities most known galleries. Since our opening we’ve curated numerous gallery shows for both local and national artist. This past summer we hosted our 1st mural festival which took over much of the surrounding block with over 100 hundred artist painting large murals on the area buildings, it’s important to add that the area we chose to call home most said wouldn’t work or be successful because It’s in area that has been rundown and looked over by the city for years. But since our opening I can see the positive ripple effect it’s had in the community.
What I’m most proud of is how far I’ve come not just in my career but in life. I never expected to make it this far and I think a lot of people didn’t think I would either. I’m proud of the resilience I’ve had to never give up when things looked so dark. I’m proud I was able to take all the bad things in my life and turn it into something positive. I really can’t talk about my art without talking about what the driving force behind it.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I absolutely love Toledo, I think our art scene is thriving and were going through our own renaissance right now it feels like. I love how much Toledo has grown just in the past 10 years. I love nature and hiking so I have to shout out the incredible metro parks we have here. Also Of course another favorite is The Toledo Museum Of Art.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/chilly_rodriguez
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chris.rodriguez419
