Artists, musicians, and fellow teenagers of all sorts gathered up at Stay Gallery in Downey for “Sam tha Cat’s” third annual art and music show on August 29.

The local La Mirada artist, whose real name is Samantha Herrera, gathered up a few of her artistic friends and new local artists who she has met through social media to come together and showcase their artwork and musical performances.

Among the artists displaying artwork at the gallery were Herrera herself, as well as local artists such as Savanna “$heetz” Gonazalez, Bagboy, and Alyssa Martinez, who all hail from surrounding cities such as Whittier and Montebello.

Musical performances included local rap group Alpha One from Pico Rivera, rapper Dylan Echo from Whittier, and Inland Empire rapper Trizz.

Herrera’s art and music show lasted from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. and was $5 to enter, with proceeds going towards the costs for hosting the show at Stay Gallery.

The art show received much positive feedback from the artists and musicians involved, attendees, and employers of Stay Gallery who granted Herrera the opportunity to return and host art shows once a month.

For Herrera, it’s a huge accomplishment receiving such reception as her ideas and do it yourself ethics are what allows her to plan and coordinate her art shows on her own, as well as becoming a visionary artist and front-runner in the local “562” art scene along with other creative collectives.

“I want to keep doing one every year if people are still digging it,” says Herrera. “I get so nervous thinking no one will show up and I’m always surprised and overwhelmed at the amount of people who actually do show up. Hopefully I can continue and expand to bigger galleries, as well as bigger artists and performances.”

Herrera organized her first art show in December of 2013 where it was originally called “Sam the Cat’s Very Based Art and Music Show”, inspired by Bay-Area rapper Lil B.

The 20-year old artist has been passionate in art since her junior year of high school when she stopped playing soccer and began investing her free time focusing on her art.

When describing her own artwork and her personal style, Herrera says, “I’m into art that is just eye catching. It can be surreal or abstract or just really colorful. I know it’s hard to be original now but I really enjoy finding something I can’t really describe or put into any type of category of art.”

Besides drawing, painting, and creating ideas for possible art shows, Herrera does not have specific goals minus the fact that she would like to form her own art collective, establish her own gallery venue and possibly manage artists.

Her interest in possibly wanting to manage artists began recently when she started interning with Colombian singer Kali Uchis, who has gained popularity after moving to Los Angeles and working with artists such as Tyler, the Creator and Diplo on her EP “Por Vida”.

Herrera began her internship with Uchis after seeing the singer post an inquiry on her Instagram account.

“She posted something about needing an intern one day and I was just sitting there like ‘f**k it!’, so I applied and next thing you know I’m at her music video shoot for one of her songs.”

As people continue to congratulate Herrera for her recent art show success and accomplishments, she currently carries the momentum by planning her next few art shows over the course of the next five months.

Lined up for October is a collaboration art show with her friend and rapper 3rd Ave, followed by a Drake themed art show in November, and a collaboration art show in December with Pico Rivera art and music collective Together As One.

Herrera also says she would like to have an all-girl art show sometime in February if she can find girl bands and musicians.

Keep up with Sam tha Cat on both her Twitter and Instagram accounts.

For inquiries, email her at [email protected]

Twitter: @samthacat_

Instagram: @sam.tha.cat