GALLERY | $5-10 SUGGESTED DONATION | ALL AGES | “Puro Tranquilo, Puro Sereno” is a love letter to El Sereno, the neighborhood that shaped solo exhibiting artist, Sebastian Schiff. With our rolling hills and tight knit community, El Sereno truly embodies its name, which translates to The Tranquil or The Serene. Through ceramic sculptures, Sebastian honors the spaces that define his community—the local taco truck, the corner store, and the everyday landmarks that hold the weight of history, memory, and identity.
Within these depictions of place and community, the artist also explores the people who call it home, including himself. His work reflects on masculinity, love, tradition, and mental health—on coping, healing, and the push and pull between holding on and letting go. In clay, he preserves the resilience of his people, the moments that shaped him, and the ever-changing nature of home at threat of gentrification and the erasure of community.
This exhibition is an act of remembrance and rebirth—a meditation on belonging, growth, and the deep connection between community and self.
Sebastian is a Mexican-American, self-taught ceramic artist born in Los Angeles, driven by a deep connection to the earth and a passion for the tactile process of working with clay. For him, ceramics is not just a craft—it is a therapeutic practice that allows expression of personal journey, exploring themes of growth, nature, plants, and community, and connecting with the world. His work is inspired by lived experiences, dreams, city, culture, and the natural world, with each piece reflecting an intimate relationship with the material and the earth. His work blends functional and artistic elements, is rooted in a desire to create objects that not only serve a purpose but also invite contemplation and connection. Teaching others is a natural extension of his practice—sharing the joy, healing, and fulfillment he finds in ceramics with others has become a vital part of my creative journey.
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This event will be indoors and outdoors.