Airbrushed Dreams

Leilani Xicotencatl, Photo Editor • December 11, 2023

Jasmine Ochoa, known professionally as Love Angel “Gata,” poses for a portrait, surrounded by some of her favorite pieces of work and material inside her family home bedroom. Ochoa launched her small business at the beginning of 2022 while completing her general education at SF State. Since then, Ochoa left school to fully pursue her business. Inspired by the ‘80s and ‘90s when airbrushing was popular, she has embraced her Chicana background and her love for Sanrio characters, and created her own style of art.

Jasmine Ochoa aka Love Angel ‘Gata’ is an Airbrush Technician from San Bruno, Ca. Since starting her journey as a small business entrepreneur in 2021, her art has reached people all around the Bay Area. From custom commissions to live airbrushing, Ochoa’s work is inspired by childhood memories growing up in the Bay.

Jasmine Ochoa airbrushes a random design onto a white T-shirt in her family home bedroom in San Bruno, CA. Although her expertise is airbrushing her own ideas, Ochoa’s business consists of satisfying custom ideas from her clients. She has come a long way from her very first $20 order — now having the confidence to provide live airbrushing designs at pop-up events all around the Bay Area. (Leilani Xicotencatl)

Jasmine Ochoa sets up her airbrushed t-shirts at a pop-up event in Oakland, CA, on Oct. 13, 2023. Ochoa has been part of multiple pop-up events around the Bay Area, but this specific event was a collaboration between many creatives from around the Bay. The pop-up event was organized by GAG! Magazine, an art publication created in 2022, and Skateboarding at UCB, a skateboarding organization founded in 2021 by students at the University of California, Berkeley. (Leilani Xicotencatl)

A mix of designs airbrushed by Jasmine Ochoa at a pop-up event in Oakland, CA, on Oct. 13, 2023. Ochoa prepares a suitcase full of different airbrushed designs. She sells T-shirts, shorts, jeans and so much more. “After months of trial and error and troubleshooting, now in an hour, I can get through multiple different shirts and it doesn’t take me nearly as long,” said Ochoa after reflecting on her growth from the beginning of her airbrush journey to now. (Leilani Xicotencatl)

Jasmine Ochoa sets up her airbrushed apparel on racks at a pop-up event at The New Farm in San Francisco on Nov. 11, 2023. The New Farm was founded in 2019 by Andrew Pollack, the president of the Green City Project. It is a free space which runs solely on donations, where artists and creators come together. Ochoa was at the event along with 14 other vendors and seven bands. (Leilani Xicotencatl)

Jasmine Ochoa skates, wearing one of her designs, at her hometown’s DIY skate park also known as the Orphinarium, in San Bruno, CA. Ochoa has been skating for many years and is now a member of the San Bruno skateboarding community.
Airbrush, a wearable art: a photo story by Leilani Xicotencatl
(Leilani Xicotencatl)

Leilani Xicotencatl

Leave a Comment

About the Contributor

Leilani Xicotencatl, Photo Editor

Leilani Xicotencatl (she/her) is the Photo Editor for Xpress Magazine and a photographer for Golden Gate Xpress. She was born and raised in Anaheim, California. Although she began her college experience at SF State as a sociology major, she soon after discovered her passion for photography. She is now pursuing a major in photojournalism and a minor in race and resistance. Aside from photography, she also enjoys hiking all the beautiful trails in SF, powerlifting with her partner and watching Netflix after a long day.

Xpress Magazine

Xpress Magazine

Xpress Magazine

Airbrushed Dreams

Xpress Magazine

Comments (0)