Introducing the 2023 Resident Artists at BxArts Factory

Resident Artist from April to June: Lola Lovenotes is a Bronx based muralist and visual artist, whose alias formed at a young age through her submergence in Street Art culture. She graduated from The City College of New York with a degree in Studio Art. In 2018, Lovenotes was amongst 11 chosen artists to create art for Make Room USA, a national campaign to spread awareness on the rent affordability crisis in the United States. This mural was installed at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, and then selected to be in an exhibition fundraiser at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington D.C. Lovenotes has painted murals for The Bushwick Collective, The Queens Botanical Gardens, as well as the Emmy nominated fashion related competition show Project Runway. In 2022, she was the recipient of the BRIO– Bronx Recognizes Its Own Award for Visual Arts: Excellence in Street Art. Heavily influenced by the youth and the communities she grew up in, Lovenotes strives to inspire and connect to these communities by creating artworks that are charged with her emotional and spiritual vision of the world; while incorporating symbolism related to the themes of nature, heritage, social justice, and inclusion usually involving feminine figures and fantastical scenery. Still enthusiastic about Street Art culture, Lovenotes has also branched into other forms of art. She primarily works in paint but has a great love for using different mediums, methods and styles to create. For over 5 years LOVENOTES has worked as a freelance Art Director and Curator. Very passionate about using her platform as a muralist to uplift marginalized communities, Lovenotes also works as a Teaching Artist in schools in the Bronx and Manhattan.

Resident Artist from July to September: Debbie Ali is an interdisciplinary artist based in the Bronx focusing on gender and fantastical topics. Debbie creates sculptures, pop surrealist paintings, and illustrations both digitally and using ink. Her book arts practice binds together these different strands to communicate her streams of consciousness about identity, feminism, and queer issues. She is a part of the Lehman Art Collective and her work has been featured in the Van Cortlandt House Museum, Rockland Center of the Arts, and Garner Arts Center. She has been interviewed by Rhina Valentine on Bronx Net TV. In addition to being an artist, Debbie has also taught high school math, science, and art in New York City public schools.

Resident Artist from October to December: Born in NYC and raised in the South, Tanya Perez is a performer, writer & filmmaker specializing in comedy. Perez has excelled as a creator on both stage and screen and her stand-out work has received many awards and mentions globally. She has appeared on several networks and streaming series like Paramount+’s Evil, Orange Is the New Black & Jessica Jones. Stage credits include performances at Laguna Playhouse, Seattle Rep, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and touring throughout Italy. Her first solo show, Honor & Fidelity, premiered to a sold-out audience at the Cherry Lane Theater for the Downtown Urban Arts Festival. Awards and Fellowships include an Audioverse Award nomination for her audio play, Rincon. Winner of the New Circle Theater’s LB Williams Playwriting Award 2022. Her comedy film, Peep Show, was a finalist at the Women in Comedy HBO Insider Competition. With over 22 screenings around the world, her film, Veronica, won ‘Best Actress’ at Story Mode Shorts Festival, ‘Best Screenplay’ and ‘Best Actress’ at Outlanta Con, and ‘Best Latinx Short’ at IndieFest. She is a featured writer for The Light Ahead podcast, a Greenhouse Lab artist with The Orchard Project, and a spotlight artist with Conch Shell Productions. Proud member of AEA, SAG/AFTRA, and the Latinx Playwrights Circle. Forever a clown.