Meet Alex Paul Loza: Shaping Our Art Scene
Alex Paul Loza has become one of Chattanooga's most well-known artists through his contributions to the community and local businesses.
There is one name in the Chattanooga art community that is unavoidable: Alex Paul Loza. He has had a hand in the creation of some of the area’s most iconic art pieces and continues to heavily impact our cities art culture. Recently he has been working on projects such as creating a sculpture of Thaddeus Stevens that will be on display at Gettysburg, creating art pieces for the Chattanooga Red Wolves, and much more. Alex has an extensive portfolio and vast knowledge of all things art, but his academic art training first started in the late 90s when he trained in Michigan with Master Portrait Painter Harry Ahn. Ahn taught Alex not just how to paint, but also how to carry himself as a professional. From there Alex went on to be accepted into the American Academy of Art where he furthered his education.
The original inspiration for Alex to become an artist was his experiences living in Peru as a child. There he was exposed to art by his grandparents and this first sparked his interest. It was during his senior year of high school that Alex decided to dedicate his life to art though, largely due to being encouraged by his teacher Mrs. Mary Stepash. Alex has been able to work with many of the area’s biggest organizations and make connections that have allowed him to quite literally paint our town red. He encourages other local emerging artists to believe in themselves and stay confident as they attempt to make similar connections. “Be yourself and believe in your art. Stay true to yourself and never sell yourself short,” Alex said when asked about tips he would give to other local artists. “Be sincere, keep to your word and contribute to the development of your community.”
As for upcoming trends and changes that Alex wants to see in the local art scene, he is hoping to see more multicultural artwork being done. Chattanooga is a melting pot of so many different peoples and cultures and Alex is hoping to see that reflected in our artwork. He also wants to see more organizations stepping up to support local artists. To learn more about Alex’s upcoming projects, make sure to go follow him on Instagram with the handle below and to visit his website with the link provided.