ASHES OF US
The Hill Street Country Club presents recent works
by Harley Cortez
Q & A artist
Can you tell us about your early years of life?
Growing up in Inglewood, CA. as a kid (then moved to Queens NYC in high school). I was a loner, an outsider in a way. I was always doing something pretty crazy or out there. I was a latch-key kid; no dad, my mom worked two jobs. There were alot of [crack and heroin] dealers on my block. Across the street, after 10pm, a line of prostitutes would come out - i didn't know they were prostitutes back then - and they were friendlier and made sure no one hurt us if we were out late. There was a lot of danger for a little kid, but my mom was never home so we did whatever we wanted and got home at crazy hours. Lots of shootings, lots of insanity, but somehow we managed - me and my brother.
How did you become interested in the arts?
I guess to stay out of trouble I spent a lot of time alone and read alot and drew alot and wrote alot too. Creating became a sanctuarary from the madness. Til this day I associate it with a very spiritiual act in a way - it is when i am closest God (whatever that means).
My mom believes in angels, told me I had one as a kid, maybe that's something.