Join me for Pachanga! A Benefit for Galeria de la Raza

 Pictured: Memento mori, digital print by Raul Aguilar.

Please join me, and over 70 contemporary artistas at Pachanga! Galeria de la Raza's 10th Annual Art Auction on Saturday, November 19th, 2011 at 7:00 pm. Galeria is located at 2857 24th Street, San Francisco.  Admissions are from $20 to $50 sliding scale.  Pachanga is truly a fantastic party, this year the event has a 1970's flare. Dust off your platform shoes and dance to 1970's disco, salsa and Latin Funk.  There will be an award for the best 1970's attire.

Click here for more information, and to visit the on-line catalog. Can't make it? Bidding by proxy is allowed! Register before Thursday, November 17th at 5:00 pm. All proceeds benefit Galeria de la Raza, San Francisco premier non-profit arts organization.

"Founded in 1970, the Galería is a non-profit community-based arts organization whose mission is to foster public awareness and appreciation of Chicano/Latino art and serve as a laboratory where artists can both explore contemporary issues in art, culture and civic society, and advance intercultural dialogue. To implement our mission, the Galería supports Latino artists in the visual, literary, media and performing art fields whose works explore new aesthetic possibilities for socially committed art."

Frida Munny. On auction for a Good Cause!

Check out my Munny Frida Kahlo! I made her for a charity auction that benefits NLGSF, my day job. It is sponsored by Galeria de La Raza. You don't know about what a Munny is? They are fantastic art collectible toys by Kid Robot. Many artists have designed these toys, I'm glad I gave it a shot, this is my first one. Check out another Munny toy designed by the very talented Carlos Villez. He was inspired by "El Catrin", from the Mexican Loteria board game. He seems to be courting Munny Frida...But she is playing hard to get!

There are many more amazing items up for auction! If you are in San Francisco, go check it out! The NLGSF Holiday Party and Auction will be held tomorrow, Friday December 10 at the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco, at 6:00 pm.

The Cartoon Art Museum is located at 655 Mission Street between New Montgomery and Third Streets, is around the corner from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and a dozen other museums which comprise the Yerba Buena Gardens cultural district of San Francisco’s South of Market area.

Vivo: Day of the Dead Community Celebration!

Thanks everyone for attending the community celebration for VIVO, the Day of the Dead exhibit at the Oakland Museum of California. last weekend. Despite the bad weather many visitors enjoyed the show, as well as music, food and community altars. A community group created the beautiful fresh flower ofrenda in front of the mural I painted. It was dedicated to amaranth, the wonder food I blogged about recently.

I dedicated the mural to Aurora Reyes. She was a renowned Mexican muralist (and a childhood friend of Frida Kahlo) that I got to meet when I was young. Ms. Reyes was very talented, but seldom heard of outside of Mexico. She inspired me to be an artist. I also dedicated the mural to Dolores Olmedo (a Mexican philantropist and art collector) and to Oscar Grant, the unarmed civilian killed on BART.


This year's exhibit make reference to Prehispanic traditions that are the origins of the Day of the Dead holiday. This wonderful pyramid (El Templo Teotl) represents the four cardinal points, as well as the four elements and ancestral forces. It was created by Jesse Hernandez.


These are some photos of a tortilla making demonstration, ofrendas created by community groups and live music.





The show and mural will be on view until December 5, 2010. To learn more about the show visit OMCA's website. To view more photos of the celebration and to read a brief article about the show visit In Oakland blog. By the way, you can take BART to the Oakland Museum, but watch out...You'll never know what dangers lurk near by.



That is actually my wonderfully free spirited friend Fennel. She is harmless. I wish you a happy and safe Halloween and a thoughtful Day of the Dead.

Galeria de la Raza turns 40!

Galeria de la Raza in San Francisco was one of the first galleries to ever show my work. This year, Galeria turns 40! So far, the celebrations and programming have been exceptional. 40 years of archives, activisim and history can be seen at the Galeria Retrospective, on view until January 29th, 2011.



Without Galeria, the city of San Francisco would loose one of its more important outlets that showcases the richness of Chicano/Latino art and culture. You can support Galeria by attending the Gala Celebration on November 21st at The Brava Theater. Tickets in advance are only $40! You can buy tickets on-line


Galeria also holds many youth arts and education activities open to everyone in the neighborhood. Recently I helped out with Galeria's family day. Thanks to the wonderful families that came down to learn how to make this awesome dog piñata!

I hope to post instructions on how to make your own dog piñata in the future.

In the mean time, please continue to support Galeria's mission by donating to the cause on-line.

My dog Mysti approves!

Mano, Mundo, Corazon Opens!

Artwork by Don Colley

Installation by Maximo Gonzalez and Eduardo J. Villanueva

La Araña by Mario Castillo

La Corona, by Michael Velliquette

I am part of a group show in Chicago: Mano/Mundo/Corazon. See my previous post. I am proud to be featured among such talented artists. A review of the show is available in Spanish from La Raza. The show was also mentioned in the Chicago Tribune's Fall Exhibition's Preview. For more photos, visit CBPA's Flickr page

Announcing VIVO: Days of the Dead 2010

I'm thrilled to announce I'll be participating in the Oakland Museum of California's (OMCA) Days of The Dead exhibition! I was asked to paint a large scale mural that promotes the show and educates visitors about the tradition of Days of The Dead.

Artwork by Jesse Hernandez

More about the Show:
Ten artists, local schools and community groups will create installation and ofrendas (offerings) focusing on local and international issues. According to Guest Curator Jaime Cortez this year's title "VIVO" connects beautifully with the exhibit's concept. Vivo literally means "alive" but it also means smart, clever or astute. Vivo also means vivid, or bright. "The word vivo also reminds us that Dias de los Muertos is a living, ever-evolving tradition" said Cortez.

Dates:
The exhibit will be on view from October 6 to December 5, 2010. A community celebration is scheduled for October 23rd, from 12:00 to 4:30 pm, included with the regular OMCA admission. Please join us and enjoy food, dance, music and gallery tours.

To learn more about this exhibit please visit OMCA's website

La Loteria: Hand, World and Heart (and the Devil)

I received this card on the mail the other day. The Devil! No, it was not some weird form of hate mail asking me to repent and mend the error of my ways. I was an invitation to participate in the Center for Book and Paper Arts' exhibit -Mano/Mundo/Corazon: Artists Interpret La Loteria

La Loteria is a game similar to Bingo. The most popular version of this game was probably drawn in the 1920's, but the game has been around since the 1800's. Each card features iconic and archetypal images. Some of the cards have symbolic meaning dating back to Pre-Hispanic times, while other cards could also correspond to the Tarot's major arcana:

El Sol /The Sun/Tonathiu.

La Luna/The Moon/Coyolxahuqui.

La Estrella/The Star/Citlali.

La Muerte/Death/Miclantecuthli,




I was actually thrilled to have received El Diablito. The image was up my alley - devils seem to make their way into my art often. The obvious symbolic meanings for the devil are evil, fear and basically everything that is bad. But my personal mythology interprets Diablitos (little Devils) as naughty, playful, mischievous characters related to the basic element of fire. They represent passion, a spark of creativity and our desire to "let loose", to do things often frown upon. If we are extremely fearful, overly prudish, judgemental, and repress our genuine feelings unfairly, something minor could come back in more sinister ways. This is my version of the card:




Mano/Mundo/Corazon: Artist Interpret La Loteria opens on September 9, and it runs to December 10 in Chicago's Center for Book and Paper Arts The opening reception is on September 9, from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. To learn more about the Center for Books and Paper Arts visit Columbia College in Chicago

Crucero - Spring Arts and Craft Bazaar 2010

Blogeritos, you are cordially inviated to Galeria de la Raza's Crucero Artero, at Studio 24th, in San Francisco. Don't miss this seasonal art bazaar in the heart of The Mission! A mellow, laid back preview happens on Friday the 9th. Join the crowd on Saturday the 10th, as the community celebrates The Cesar Chavez Holiday Parade and Festival. Sunday the 11th is the last day for this amazing weekend long bazaar. Don't miss fun spring clothing by Iztapalot, and Michelle's adorable sugar creations. I'll have plenty of DIY kits for your pleasure. Please join us!

New Workshop: Guadalupe Holiday Ornaments

Guadalupe-inspired "Adornitos"
Saturday, December 12, 2009
3:00 to 8:00 pm
Galeria de la Raza, Studio 24th
2857 24th Street

San Francisco, CA

Create a Virgen de Guadalupe ornament, or your own interpretation of her: An Aztec warrior Goddess, a personification of winter, or a homage to Latina power and mystique. No sign-in necessary, just make your creation and take it home, ready to hang any place that needs a little sacred-ness. Only $7.00! We'll have lots of clip art, crepe paper, glitter, plaster add-ons and other precious embellishments available.

"Adornitos" - Holiday Ornament Kits

Las Posadas, or "Inns" are traditional Mexican Christmas gatherings. These parties are very colorful. Pinks, turqoise, charteuse and Rosa Mexicano (fucsia) are prevalent in decorations for a Posada. Decorations like piñatas, papel picado and paper lanterns called farolitos inspired me to design '"Adornitos", or holiday ornament kits. A base, cord, crepe paper, sequins, and other collage elements are included inside each baggy.

You'll have lots of fun designing the composition of your ornament and adding the trimmings. Additionally you can use materials you already have at home - wine corks, packing twine, recycled cardstock, paper doilies, etc. This season I will be posting some ideas and variations for the ornaments you can make. Enjoy!



You can also buy my kits at the Galeria de la Raza's Holiday Bazaar: Crucero Artero Navideño.

Pachanga Thanks

Thank you to all the staff and volunteers from Galeria de la Raza for a sucessful art auction event - Pachanga 2009! On Saturday, November the 21st, 2009 the auction raided funds for programming at Galeria, and it is the only Latino art event in San Francisco of its kind. Here are some photos from the auction.

Auctioneer Durwood Zedd and Executive director Carolina Ponce de Leon
keep up with high bidders.

Hey! That is my art piece, "La Casita/My Little Foreclosure", it went to the highest bidder for over $300!

Great art was auctioned

The lovely Jessica Diaz, from Gracias Madre. They provided tasty organic vegan tamales.

For more photos, check out this article by Vanessa Carr for Mission Local

Charity Fundraiser, Faux Gingerbread & Dark Fairy Tales

We all know the tale; and evil witch lures innocent children using candy, in order to eat them. According to Anke A. Culver, a retired professor of Loyola University, the witch is the one that got a bad rap. The witch’s name was Katharina Schraderin, a talented baker from Southern Germany in the 1600’s. A baker named Hans Metzler tried courting Katharina in order to steal her recipes. After being rejected he accused her of practicing witchcraft. Katharina is found innocent, but the greedy Hans and his sister Grete end up breaking into her house. They ruthlessly kill Katharina and burn her remains in one of her ovens. Talk about killing the competition!



I created this shadowbox house out of wood and a variety of media. It is being auctioned for Galeria de la Raza's annual fundraiser, on Saturday, November 21st. The lightbox is shaped like a gingerbread house, complete with a bedroom, a bathroom, a living room, a walk-in closet, a kitchen and a porch. Two little characters seem to live inside, will they live happy ever after? The title of the piece is "La Casita/My Little Foreclosure".



These days seems like people are loosing their little piece of the American dream, for a variety of reasons. What, or who is to blame? Immigrants? Banks? People that got loans they couldn’t pay? Could it be illness, a divorce, a death in the family, the loss of a job? Are the victims, once again, being blamed?



Please support Galeria de la Raza’s Pachanga! Visit the on-line catalog for more information and suggested starting bids. Bidding by proxy is allowed and encouraged.

Visit Cookie Cutter Research, to read more about the story behind the tale of Hansel and Gretel, as told by professor Culver. The website also has a great on-line database of cookie cutters, as well as everything related to cookies.

Pachanga: Support the 9th Annual Art Auction

Galería's annual art auction is just around the corner. Pachanga! Is Galeria de la Raza's annual benefit celebration with a live and silent auctions. I'm honored to be a part of this event once again. San Francisco's only Latino art party takes place on Saturday, November 21st from 7 - 10 pm. Dance to the beats provided by DJ Chango Julius. $20 - $50 sliding scale. Raffle items include a pair of R/T tickets to anywhere in the US, among other goodies.

Silent Auction: 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm.

Live Auction: 8:00pm

Auctioneer: Durwood Zedd

Food & drink provided by Venga Empanadas, Cafe Gratitude/Gracias Madre, Frey Vineyards, Sugar Lump, Rainbow Grocery Co-op and others.

Go to Galeria de la Raza to privew the Pachanga 2009 artist catalog!

Cajitas: Great Workshop!

On Saturday, October 24th I lead a Day of the Dead workshop at Galeria de la Raza. I provided participants with small postcard sized wooden boxes and a variety of embellishments that included plaster miniatures, specialty papers and other collage elements.

It was really a joy seeing friends and families working together!

Everyone was working so hard...But it seems like they were also having a good time

The themes of the boxes varied from traditional Day of the Dead designs to personal dedications to family members to a fantastic box with an environmental theme, in honor of our dying planet. Thanks everyone for participating!

And thank you Galeria de la Raza! Click the link to visit Galeria's calendar of events

Cajitas: Day of the Dead Boxes Class at Galeria!

On Saturday, October 24th, I will be teaching a class on how to decorate your very own mini Day of the Dead box! The class takes place at Galeria de la Raza, from 2:00 to 5:00 pm. Make sure you call Galeria ahead of time to reserve your spot.

Description:
Create a memento, a shrine, a love token for the dearly departed, or just a funny vignette in a Day of the Dead theme. Using a small wooden box and a variety of collage materials you'll create a fantastic mini treasure to take home.

Fee and materials:
$30 per person. Includes a 5x7 wooden box. Also included are unpainted plaster skulls, hearts, angels and other ornamental embellishments ready for you to paint. Lots of collage images too! I will teach you how to make lacy miniature "papel picado" and mini paper flowers. No previous art experience is necessary. Feel free to bring photos or your own personal ephemera to embellish your box.

Registration/Location:
Please call Galeria to reserve your spot. Class is limited to 12 participants. Children with an adult assistant are welcome to participate. The class will be conducted bilingually, in English and Spanish.

Cajitas: Mini Day of the Dead Boxes

Saturday, October 24th, 2009

2:00 - 5:00 pm

Galeria de la Raza
2857 24th Street
San Francisco CA 94110
Phone: 415-826-8009
Email: info@galeriadelaraza.org

By BART: Take the BART train to the 24th Street Station. You will emerge on Mission Street and 24th Street. Go East on Mission Street. Walk for about 15 minutes until you arrive at 2857 at the corner of Bryant. You can also catch the Eastbound 48 bus at the corner of 24th and Mission; get off at the corner of Bryant Street.

By MUNI: Take the 14 Line or the 49 Line to 24th Street. Exit and go Eastbound on Mission Street. You can then catch the Eastbound 48 bus at the corner of 24th and Mission and ride it to Bryant Street. You can also walk for about 15 minutes until you arrive at Bryant Street.

Sew Op - Sew Cool!

I recently had a chance to attend one of Galeria de la Raza's Sew-Op workshops! The instructors, Joe and Audra are talented with the needle and patient enough to teach the very basics of sewing to complete newbies like me. I enjoyed learning basic stitches and how a sewing machine works.



This is not your abuelita's sewing class! You listen to music while learning in a very relaxed setting. The next class will show students how to make a hoodie. If you are interested in getting your stitch on, visit Galeria de la Raza and download the class pricing and class schedule. The last class is on Monday, July the 27th!