"Sacramento artist Chad Lenzi Framed in a Vintage 18 x 24 inches frame Original Oil on Canvas / Circa 2008 Via SUBMERGE: During this month’s Second Saturday I found myself on foot, hiking over to Alley Cuts in downtown Sacramento to take in the art of Chad Lenzi. The artist’s voyage over the last few years has taken him from Sacramento to Los Angeles and back. It is evident that this journey has served as inspiration for his paintings and ink drawings. It is also evident that his art connects with people, judging by the large turnout at his shows. His paintings draw you in by their sometimes twisted, sometimes provocative portrayal of the ‘50s and ‘60s. Much of his art starts with the pop culture and social influences of his childhood—which include comic books, ‘60s television and the civil rights movement—then veer into his relationships with women and the punk scene of the ‘80s. Lenzi’s paintings almost always feature a woman in the foreground displaying authority over a scene that is often chaotic. Never does this woman show panic. She calmly assesses and controls the situation with ease. Lenzi asked me to meet him at the Starlite Lounge in Sacramento, which was fitting since the bar’s mid-century modern theme seemed to place us right in the middle of one of his paintings. The normally soft spoken artist opened up about his family, moving from North Hollywood to the rural town of Courtland and his fascination with fire. When was the first time you realized you wanted to be an artist? Actually, the first time I remember drawing was when I was four. I remember drawing the Star Wars movie poster straight from the newspaper. My dad then took me to see the movie. I don’t think I could even see above the seats [laughs]. That was the first time I said to myself, “I want to draw that, I want to duplicate that, I want to be that.” Was there ever a time when you stepped away from drawing or painting? No, I just kept going. I kept going, because it was something I enjoyed. It was just like riding a bike or riding skateboards; it’s just what I enjoyed doing. Still to this day it’s the only constant in my life that brings me happiness and joy. I’ve noticed a theme of strong women in your art. Where does that come from? Growing up in a house with a mother and two sisters, that’s how it is. They rule the roost. I paint women because I love women. I don’t objectify them; they have always been a powerful element in my life. They are not to be disrespected. How has music inspired your art? I was raised on punk. I grew up in a goddamn mosh pit. I grew up in the punk scene in the ‘80s, and that scene here in Sacramento was fucked up, terribly fucked up. The skinheads fucked everything up. I went to my first show when I was 16. I got my license, I had a car, a station wagon. I remember I was so excited that I was going to see Social Distortion at the Cattle Club. It was the most violent fucking show on the planet. I have never seen a show since then that has been that violent. Before I even got into the show I watched skinheads get their heads smashed in by security guards swinging billy clubs. I’ve noticed that your ink drawings are a little more provocative and intense than your paintings… I keep my ink drawing more Sci-Fi, more horror. They are two different animals. It’s just a totally different outlet. I do the ink drawings when I want to take a break from the paintings, when I just want to cut loose a little bit more. In my ink drawings I like to make the women a little more sexier, make the violence a little more heavier, and lots of blood and whatever. I think, “Let’s turn it up a little bit.” You mentioned your garden in Courtland. Can you talk about your journey from Sacramento to L.A. and back to Northern California? A very close friend of mine saw what I was doing and said, “What the fuck are you doing up here? You need to get your ass to L.A.!” So I packed up my truck and left. I did a show with Homeboy Industries only two weeks after I moved there. I hit the ground fucking running. It was bonkers. The assistant director of The Simpsons was there and he actually did buy one of my paintings that night for his office. It was like one of the greatest things ever."