Listening to the Universe: A Story of Artistic Connection
Some stories feel too impossible to be true, but when the universe speaks, I’ve learned to listen.
Reading Chris Meza’s heartfelt post about his father’s friends and the long-lost artist, Loco Apodaca, I was struck by the profound way art has shaped his life—and how this story, intertwined with his father’s legacy, unexpectedly connected to my own.
Chris shared how his father had a close-knit group of five friends: Dave VI, Filigonio, George, Loco, and Carlos. These men were larger-than-life figures in Chris’s childhood, shaping his memories and leaving an enduring impression. Among them was Loco Apodaca, an artist/ friend commissioned by Chris’s father to paint a portrait of him as a child.
“Meza-Lisa”, by Loco Apodaca
The portrait, revealed on Chris’s 8th birthday, didn’t go as planned. The unveiling brought about an emotional outburst so intense that Chris pressed his hand into the still-wet paint. Though later repaired by Loco, the painting disappeared into an attic for decades, only to resurface as an invaluable piece of Chris’s history. The portrait, lovingly dubbed the “Meza-Lisa,” came to symbolize much more than its brushstrokes—it carried the weight of family, memory, and a connection to art that time could not erase.
Recently, Chris felt compelled to search for Loco Apodaca. His initial online search yielded no results, but a conversation with Loco’s cousin, Ruth, revealed that Guadalupe Apodaca—Loco’s real name—was alive and well at 84. This discovery led to a gallery in Arizona, a gallerist, and finally, a phone call that bridged 45 years of separation. Chris reconnected with Guadalupe, rekindling a thread of his father’s legacy and reaffirming the way art bridges time and distance.
Around the same time, Chris had his eye on a painting titled “Lightening in a Bottle” at CraftWork in Healdsburg. He admired it each time he visited, unaware that the artist—me, Brad Brenner—had heard of his appreciation. When Chris learned it was part of a rotating exhibition and was going up for auction, he seized the opportunity to acquire it.
On Friday, Jessica (my wife / gallery manager) and I had the pleasure of delivering the painting to Chris’s home. As we stood in his living room, I watched as he admired “Lightening in a Bottle” in its new setting. My gaze wandered across the room, where it caught on another painting—the “Meza-Lisa.”
From across the room I said “that portrait looks like a Nicolai Fechin.”
Chris chuckled. “That’s by an artist I knew as a child—Loco.”
Twenty minutes later Chris said “Loco was his nickname. His real name is Lupe. Actually, Guadalupe.”
The name hit me like a lightening bolt. “Wait…not Guadalupe Apodaca? Lupe? I know him!” The words tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop them. “We were dear friends 30 years ago in Arizona, but we lost touch. Lupe always used to say, ‘to keep the background soft.’”
As the realization sank in, disbelief turned to awe. Weeks earlier, Chris had reconnected with Guadalupe after decades apart. And now here I was, standing in his home, discovering that the very artist whose work I admired all those years ago was also a pivotal figure in his story. The universe had woven our lives together in a way I couldn’t have imagined.
We wasted no time picking up the phone. “Lupe, it’s Brad Brenner.” His laughter and warmth on the other end of the line were unmistakable, and what followed was a conversation filled with joy, nostalgia, and stories that flowed as if no time had passed.
In that moment, it became clear just how powerful art can be. It transcends time, space, and even generations, connecting us in ways that are as mysterious as they are beautiful. As I stood there, listening to Chris and Guadalupe reminisce, I felt a deep sense of gratitude for the role art has played in bringing us all together.
Later that evening, I stepped outside to reflect. The threads of connection—Chris, his father, Loco, me, and now “Lightning in a Bottle”—felt impossibly intertwined, yet profoundly right. With a quiet smile, I whispered into the night, “Thank you, universe.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR & ARTIST: BRADFORD BRENNER
Born June 9th, 1959 in New York City, NY to art collector parents, Bradford Brenner has been a professional artist for the last 36 years. His work has been featured in numerous national art publications and can be found in private and corporate collections throughout the world. Brenner’s gallery and studio is located on the historic Plaza in Healdsburg, CA.
Brad received his education from both University of California, Santa Barbara and San Diego State. Receiving creative inspiration and ideas intuitively, his emotive imagery and loose brushstrokes reflect an instinctive and intuitive spirit. Collectors are drawn to the freedom and looseness that represents his unique style, and highly spontaneous rich, multi-layered works. Brenner draws upon a wealth of artistic influences, including his passion for and study of the Old Masters, the Impressionists, the Tonalists and the Abstract Expressionists to create a style that is uniquely his own.