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LIZ’S COFFEE CONNECTION

LIZ’S COFFEE CONNECTION

Francisco Palomares: Painting a Visual Diary of Downtown LA | S3E22

Aug 11, 2026 · 19 min · 11 segments

Liz sits down with East LA-born painter Francisco Palomares in his downtown LA studio for a conversation about art, migration, and belonging. Francisco walks through paintings inspired by childhood…

Liz sits down with East LA-born painter Francisco Palomares in his downtown LA studio for a conversation about art, migration, and belonging. Francisco walks through paintings inspired by childhood car rides with his mom through the fashion and flower districts, his 2022 piece “City of Inmates,” and the piñata paintings that explore both celebration and what it feels like to be “the other.” He shares how a high school teacher's encouragement led him to Ryman Arts and a scholarship at USC, how his mother's journey from Michoacán inspired his “Homage to My Mothers” series, and why he sees vulnerability...

Liz sits down with East LA-born painter Francisco Palomares in his downtown LA studio for a conversation about art, migration, and belonging. Francisco walks through paintings inspired by childhood…

Speakers: Francisco PalomaresGuestLiz Hirsh NaftaliHost

Top entities: Los Angeles×12 Mexicans×6 Southern California×5 Downtown Los Angeles East Los Angeles×6

Piñatas, Celebration, and Belonging8:58 – 12:20

F

Francisco PalomaresGuest

8:58

Yes.

F

Francisco PalomaresGuest

8:58

So,

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

8:59

and I, I'm just, I'm, I grew up, I always say to people like, you know, what brings us together? Okay.

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:05

So this podcast that I do and the work I do is like, I believe we have much more in common than what separates us.

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:11

I

F

Francisco PalomaresGuest

9:11

think so.

F

Francisco PalomaresGuest

9:11

But

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:11

you and I have very different backgrounds.

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:13

You're a lot younger.

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:15

I'm not an artist in the manner of with, with the talent you have, but

F

Francisco PalomaresGuest

9:19

yeah.

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:20

I grew up, and piñatas were so important.

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:22

I'd come downtown with my mom.

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:24

We'd pick the piñata for the birthday.

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:26

We'd put the candy and the gifts in it, and then we would bring it home for the party.

F

Francisco PalomaresGuest

9:30

And

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:31

my kids, when they were little, we'd go to pick out the piñata, whatever they wanted, fill it with candy, fill it with all these goodies, and then the kids would... be masked, and we're hitting the piñata.

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:42

And so it didn't matter if you were Catholic, Jewish,

F

Francisco PalomaresGuest

9:46

anywhere you

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:47

came from, the piñata is something we all can relate to and it means something to everybody.

F

Francisco PalomaresGuest

9:51

It does.

F

Francisco PalomaresGuest

9:52

Now

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:53

you can tell me what it means to you.

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:54

And I love that.

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:55

But I just love that it's like such a commonality and such a joy.

Los AngelesCityCity in California
98%12 mentions
MexicansEntityPeople
95%6 mentions
Southern CaliforniaAdministrative AreaRegion in California
91%5 mentions
Downtown Los AngelesPlaceNeighborhood in Los Angeles, California
88%1 mention
East Los AngelesPlaceUnincorporated community in California
84%6 mentions
California State University, Long BeachCollege or UniversityUniversity in Long Beach, California
81%5 mentions
MexicoCountryCountry in North America
78%4 mentions
MichoacánAdministrative AreaMexican state
74%4 mentions
Pablo PicassoPersonSpanish painter and sculptor
71%3 mentions
Barack ObamaPerson44th U.S. President
67%2 mentions
Frank RomeroPersonAmerican artist
64%2 mentions
United StatesCountryCountry in North America
60%3 mentions
University of Southern CaliforniaCollege or UniversityPrivate university in Los Angeles, California
57%2 mentions
CaliforniaAdministrative AreaUS state
53%2 mentions
Boyle HeightsPlaceNeighborhood in Los Angeles, California
50%2 mentions
Fashion DistrictPlaceNeighborhood in Los Angeles, California
47%1 mention
Mexican AmericansEntityPeople
43%2 mentions
Los Angeles Flower DistrictPlaceWholesale florist in Los Angeles, California
40%2 mentions
Le LaboCompanyCompany
36%2 mentions
Los Angeles StreetEntity
33%1 mention
ArtCenter College of DesignCollege or UniversityCollege in Pasadena, California
29%1 mention
Los Angeles City HallTourist AttractionCity or town hall in Los Angeles, California
26%1 mention
Olympic GamesEntity
22%1 mention
ImprisonmentEntity
19%1 mention
Ludwig van BeethovenPersonGerman composer and conductor
16%1 mention
Olympic BoulevardEntityRoad in Los Angeles County, California
12%1 mention
Santa MuerteEntity
9%1 mention
Jewish peopleEntityAdherents
5%1 mention
ChicanoEntityEthnicity
2%1 mention

North AmericaGeography
United StatesGeography > North America
Society
Narrative PaintingArts > Visual Arts > Contemporary Painting
Los Angeles Everyday-Life ScenesArts > Visual Arts > Contemporary Painting > Narrative Painting
Immigrant IdentityCulture > Mexican-American Culture
First-Generation Mexican-American ExperienceCulture > Mexican-American Culture > Immigrant Identity
Hybrid Cultural BelongingCulture > Mexican-American Culture > Immigrant Identity > First-Generation Mexican-American Experience
Los Angeles Cultural Districts and CommunitiesGeography > North America > United States > California
College Preparation for Visual ArtistsEducation > Arts Education > Artist Development
Cal State Long Beach Drawing and Painting StudiesEducation > Arts Education > Artist Development > College Preparation for Visual Artists
Cultural CelebrationSociety > Community and Belonging
Piñata TraditionsSociety > Community and Belonging > Cultural Celebration
Art as Social Connection and Shared JoySociety > Community and Belonging > Cultural Celebration > Piñata Traditions
Visual ArtsArts
Community and BelongingSociety
Arts EducationEducation
Contemporary PaintingArts > Visual Arts
Artist DevelopmentEducation > Arts Education
CaliforniaGeography > North America > United States
Education
Culture
Geography
Arts
Mexican-American CultureCulture

Piñatas, Celebration, and Belonging8:58 – 12:20

F

Francisco PalomaresGuest

8:58

Yes.

F

Francisco PalomaresGuest

8:58

So,

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

8:59

and I, I'm just, I'm, I grew up, I always say to people like, you know, what brings us together? Okay.

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:05

So this podcast that I do and the work I do is like, I believe we have much more in common than what separates us.

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:11

I

F

Francisco PalomaresGuest

9:11

think so.

F

Francisco PalomaresGuest

9:11

But

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:11

you and I have very different backgrounds.

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:13

You're a lot younger.

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:15

I'm not an artist in the manner of with, with the talent you have, but

F

Francisco PalomaresGuest

9:19

yeah.

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:20

I grew up, and piñatas were so important.

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:22

I'd come downtown with my mom.

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:24

We'd pick the piñata for the birthday.

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:26

We'd put the candy and the gifts in it, and then we would bring it home for the party.

F

Francisco PalomaresGuest

9:30

And

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:31

my kids, when they were little, we'd go to pick out the piñata, whatever they wanted, fill it with candy, fill it with all these goodies, and then the kids would... be masked, and we're hitting the piñata.

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:42

And so it didn't matter if you were Catholic, Jewish,

F

Francisco PalomaresGuest

9:46

anywhere you

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:47

came from, the piñata is something we all can relate to and it means something to everybody.

F

Francisco PalomaresGuest

9:51

It does.

F

Francisco PalomaresGuest

9:52

Now

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:53

you can tell me what it means to you.

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:54

And I love that.

Liz Hirsh NaftaliHost

9:55

But I just love that it's like such a commonality and such a joy.

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