Survival, liberation, and celebration: those are the threads woven through John Paradiso’s work, and ones that also color the entirety of next weekend’s Arts, Beats, and Eats Festival at the Gateway Arts District in Brentwood.

More than 20 musicians, artists, and restaurateurs are joining creative forces on May 14. Paused by the pandemic, the festival is back in action after two years of hiatus.

Paradiso, though, has been crafting visual storytelling through his work for 30 years. Paradiso, a gay man, moved to the D.C. area more than two decades ago, initially working at Whitman Walker Health. He and his partner (also an artist) have made Brentwood their home for nearly as long, enlivening the already-progressive neighborhood.

“It’s a similar vibe to Takoma Park,” Paradiso says, “and we have felt comfortable and open here.”

Paradiso is a mixed-media artist, whose work initially drew from the impact of the early years of the AIDS epidemic and now incorporates themes of homophobia, aging, and sexuality.

“After moving to Washington, D.C.,” he says, “and reflecting on past visits to the AIDS Memorial Quilt on the National Mall, I was inspired to make quilts that spoke of survival and sexual liberation.”

His early work coalesced into his Men Working Series, and later his Soft Port and Paper Quilt/Collage series. The three “combine images of men and masculinity, using working methods that are considered traditionally feminine, such as sewing, embroidery, hand quilting, and scrap booking.”

Paradiso plays with gender norms, co-opting embroidery as a medium that channels the stitch work that his grandmothers were so adept at – and creating erotic images in his textiles.

The series removes the raw graphic nature and sexuality of pornography “and places it into the context of nostalgia, the home sewn, and a more romantic point of view,” he says.

While he has shown his work in the area for the entirety of his career, Paradiso more recently took a lead role at the Gateway Community Development Corporation’s Curator of Programs at the Gateway Arts Center. He is now a lead art consultant at the new nearby mixed-use developments, Studio 3807 and Artisan 4100.

Paradiso also oversees several studios in both buildings, in which he invites a rotating list of artists to show their work.

During the festival, these and other temporary exhibits will be on display, including Paradiso’s work at the Studio 3807 building. Other featured artists’ work will come alive at Artisan 4100. There, he and his team are transforming a loading dock into a vibrant arts space. The visual medium will be accompanied by the Beats aspect: Just Rock will play live music during the day from their own studio space.

Finally, the Eats portion takes place at the miXt Food Hall, also located at Studio 3807. Various chefs, bartenders, and others will set up live demonstrations during the day, featuring sessions like making lobster corn dogs and knife-sharpening skills. The hall will also host food and drink specials.

Once the Arts open studios and Beats live music finish at 5 p.m., miXt is hosting an after-party until 8 p.m.

Paradiso is proud to be part of an ongoing tradition of open-door studio work, emphasizing a community of openness and creativity. The miXt food hall, he notes, has held drag brunches for several years. “This is a celebration,” he says.

When the new developments were built in the Arts District, Paradiso worked hard to ensure that this atmosphere remained. “The festival underlines that this is still a dynamic Arts District, reinforcing that this is a gem and that we take care of the community. Having these studios filled with LGBTQ content shows that we can create the art that we want – there is space and something for everyone,” he says.