Many of us lose sight of the place we grew up when we move somewhere new. Los Angeles based Adolescent director and artist Ambar Navarro and artist Brittney Scott presents an installation at Flight Gallery in San Antonio, their hometown, that's up until Sunday, October 28th. We got to talk a little with the two artists behind the work fo You're Doing Amazing, Sweet Tea.

@: Hi! Tell us a little bit about You’re Doing Amazing, Sweet Tea. What is the idea centered around?

Ambar: Hi! Our show title references the iconic Kris Jenner meme mixed with Bill Miller Iced Tea (a famous Texan item). People are known for buying a big to-go cup of this iced tea and also jugs of it! Brittney and I both being from the same hometown of San Antonio, TX wanted to create a sort of homecoming art show with pieces all centered around the theme of Texas as a whole. I photographed some built miniatures of a few of my favorite locations in Texas like H-E-B, Hogwild Records, and The Dollhouse Store (which recently closed down). It was all an ode to these memories to where we grew up. Super special stuff.  

Brittney Scott: ^

@: You’re both from San Antonio. Did you know each other before moving to LA?

AN: We didn’t! I had known Brittney a little bit here in LA from art shows and had visited her solo show while it was up at Leiminspace. The curator mentioned Brittney was also from San Antonio, TX! At first I didn’t believe it because there aren’t many of us out here. We went to different high schools, but do have mutual friends which is funny!

B: ^

@: What is your favorite thing about San Antonio?

AN: Woah probably Luby’s Fried Fish and Mac and Cheese! Some other favorites are the San Antonio Zoo Train, San Antonio Kiddie Park, and of course being able to see my mom and friend Gabby. I also really love ArtPace, SW School of Art, Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, Blue Bell ice cream, Buc-ees, Eddie’s Taco House, and Great American Cookies. 

B: bean & chz tacos

@: Can you describe some of your pieces being shown?

AN: I have a miniature shrine to H-E-B, the main grocery store chain in Texas. I built a small version of the store and laid out some items like miniature Blue Bell Ice Cream cups, a tortilla coupon donated to me by a San Antonio illustrator @queenoftacos, and other tiny toys and miniatures. I have another piece dedicated to “My Dollhouse” which was a dollhouse store that due to recent rising rents had to shut down after 30 years. I became friends with the owners and would always drop by and buy some minis from them. Some of those are featured in the photo. There’s also some cut out acrylic sealed pieces in the shape of the state of Texas and of the Alamo. The Texas one is titled “Tex-Mex Mex-Tex” because I wanted to created a blend of how similar and close these two are to each other and switch the order of the words because i’ve never known which i’ve felt more of. The Alamo piece is titled “Basement of the Alamo” which is a Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure reference and placed items to look like they were laid out on the floor of the basement. 

B: i painted classic texan iconography : bluebonnets, armadillo, boots, horse and taco cabana my fav 

@: There’s obviously a special place in your heart for San Antonio. Would either of you ever move back there? How is life different there from Los Angeles?

AN: I am interested in doing an artist residency out there to stay out for a few months but I don’t think i’ll ever leave LA. LA is definitely my home now but SA will always be my hometown and hold a special place in my heart and has the best food in the world! It’s hard to describe what life is like there now since I haven’t lived there in 7-8 yrs. There seems to be more of a zine crowd which is super cool to see young artists carrying on the scene. Rents are higher now and a lot of houses got renovated and condos popping up everywhere especially around the SA riverwalk. I do love the city and grew up taking the 90-Via bus downtown so I still want to visit as much as possible and hopefully do more art/film stuff out there!

BS: I would be down for a residency of a couple months. I want to live in a bunch of different places so I don’t think I’d live in SA again. Idk what adult life is like in SA since I been in LA for the past 7 yrs. The pace seems different between the cities. LA is a fast city.