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68℉2024 Resilient Artist Cohort
Updated on 07/08/2024 4:51 PM
Welcome the inaugural cohort of the City of San Jose Climate Art Program Resilient Artist Fellows.
Devon Renée Bella (she/her) is a curator, community organizer, and cultural strategist. She holds a Master of Arts in Exhibition and Museum Studies and a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Urban Studies from the San Francisco Art Institute, California, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts from Alfred University, New York, with a minor in Art History. Bella’s curatorial and research interests encompass feminist art histories, radical accessibility, environmental resilience, and arts-centered social justice initiatives. In 2020, she co-founded Art + Climate Action and currently serves as Project Director. Furthermore, she was granted a Cultural Strategist Residency with the City of San José Office of Cultural Affairs in 2023, where she is leading the region’s first-ever governmental climate program aimed at the cultural sector.
Valentino Loyola is an interdisciplinary artist who works with mixed media and the transformation of photographic images because photography is the foundation of his art practice; over time, fresh perspectives have been incorporated into his art practice and drive Valentino to explore/discover new ways to create art objects that embrace tangibility and transformation, a correlation between the materials and concept of the subject matter and can be digital or performance to reflect these transformations. There is a multidimensionality between the viewer and art as two living entities that Valentino hopes are activated and a meditative contemplation will ensue and inform fresh perspectives. Valentino’s work is the relationship between his life experiences/perception/concern for humanity, historically, now, and futurism.
I’m an emerging visual artist, drawing my inspirations from the darker and mysterious crevices of the world. I’m interdisciplinary focused and apply mediums such as oil paint, charcoal, ink, and collage. I have a background in fine art studies, graduating from SJSU in 2020 with a BFA in Pictorial Arts. Since then, I’ve been on a journey of self-taught digital illustration, which is an interest that stemmed from my personal experience during the Covid lockdown. I’m currently living and working part-time in San José. Whether traditional or digital, my artistic work consists of abstract expressions of still lifes, figurative representations, portraits, and color-field arrangements layered with mark-making. I enjoy painterly and impressionistic textures while using muted, earthy, color palettes. Through these pieces, I lean towards achieving a dreamy yet grungy atmosphere on the canvas. At the moment, I’m exploring the process of block-printing with linocut at home, as well as experimenting with mixed-media projects. My latest interest is creating work using sentimental found objects, alongside grinding down organic materials to be used as painting pigments. I’ve had experience exhibiting my work in a few local group shows, some of which were at the Hammer Theater Center in San José, Works Gallery in San José, and the Cubberley Community Center in Palo Alto. Professionally, I’ve had the great pleasure of producing work for private commissions, cover art for music and social media, and graphic illustration for commercial business. My ultimate goal is to continue growing as an artist individually, as well as with a collective, while searching to fill a bigger role as an inspirational leader in the art and cultural communities I love seeing in my day to day.
My name is Julie Eliza Cardenas and I am a San José, California native. I was born to immigrant parents (Mexico and Peru) and am one of seven children. I graduated from Santa Teresa High School in 1999 and then committed myself to a year of service through City Year. I was a reading tutor to sixth grade students at Burnett Middle School. I received my AA in Liberal Arts from De Anza College in 2003, transfered to UCLA and graduated with a BA in English Literature in 2005. I have two graduate degrees: M.Ed in Arts Education from Lesley University (Cambridge, MA) and MFA in Comics from the California College of the Arts in San Francisco, CA. I have been in the field of early art education and informal education for the past 18 years. I have been contracted by the Tech Museum and the San José Museum to curate maker workshops for visitors. I also completed the Maker Ed program at the San Francisco Children’s Creativity Museum. I am a multimedia artist who works primarily with acrylics, ink, watercolor and graphite. In my paintings, I work with acrylic paints on wood panels. In my comic book work, I use ink, watercolor, water-soluble graphite pencils and color pencils. I am a memoir artist. I use memory, culture and personal experience to inform my paintings and my comic work.
I dismantle nostalgic relics of past technology, then reimagine them into serene, fresh, and aesthetically pleasing creations. I enjoy incorporating geometric wooden pieces, gently integrating them into the reconstruction process. This fusion of organic elements with once indispensable tech reflects the cycle of life. From utility to discard to rebirth in my art. The afterlife of technology perhaps. Art has always been my primary mode of expression, whether through sketching, painting, or transforming objects into something familiar yet futuristic. Growing up, the streets of the Bay Area served as my canvas, where my love for hip-hop and graffiti allowed me to leave my mark. My personal struggles, humble beginnings, and diverse heritage have fueled my creative exploration. This creativity acts as a balancing force in my life. My passion for sound, music, mathematics (yes, math), and the vibrant community of local creatives continually inspire me to create. The streets of San José, and the diverse residents of the Bay Area, have played a vital role in shaping who I am. They are not just my community; they are my family.
Stephen Longoria is a Hispanic artist from the Rio Grande Valley with a background in screen printing, woodworking, mural work, photography, and general fabrication. He has a strong foundation in the technical skills and experience necessary to create and print. His work has included large scale murals and screen printing projects. In addition to his technical skills, he is deeply committed to engaging with and involving local communities in the creation of public art. Believing that public art should be meaningful and relevant to the community, actively seeking out opportunities to be involved in local communities in his work. This has included participation in events such as the Day of the Dead Altar at the Mexican Heritage Plaza and the CULTURA CURA Poster Mission Cultural Center of San Francisco. The experience of creating public art and engaging with the community has allowed him to develop a strong foundation in the skills and techniques necessary to create work that is both technically proficient and emotionally resonant.
My name is Rayos Magos (he/him), Latino/Chicano, mixed-media artist from San José, CA. My body of work focuses on symbolism, healing, spirituality, mental health, and social justice. I make work to explore personal narratives and universal themes via collage, printmaking, painting, and sculpture. My intention for making art is to reach the community through positive imagery and uplifting language. My goal as an artist is to build relationships and networks with organizations and people looking to uplift communities of color.
Francisco Graciano is a San José native and has held his arts practice for 35 years. Graciano’s current practice focuses on working with watercolor, tattoo, and metal sculptures. He earned a BFA in Sculpture from the San Francisco Art Institute in 2014. Over the last 35 years, Graciano has excelled in wire sculpture, metal sculpture, ceramics, acrylic and oil painting, and woodworking. With each project he implements the medium necessary to carry out his vision.
Alyssarhaye is a practicing fiber artist, published author, and community curator. Her curatorial practice has focused on emerging and established artists of color, uplifting untold stories, and artistic expressions. She is the current Visual Arts Curator at MACLA/Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana as well as curates with other organizations throughout San José. An experienced arts administrator, she has held positions at Silicon Valley Creates, New Museum Los Gatos, and runs a small business, BlackSheepMade offering textile workshops and selling her art. She writes for Content Magazine and recently completed the Multicultural Arts Leadership Institute (MALI), Class 14. In her own arts practice, Alyssarhaye incorporates traditional textile techniques such as knitting, crochet, weaving, and macrame with gouache. Her 2D and 3D artworks are made of natural wool fibers, recycled textiles, and other various mediums. Her portfolio digs into her identity as an American Mexicana-Filipina woman. Born and raised in San José, Alyssarhaye is trilingual with a BA in Languages and Literature with an emphasis in Spanish and French from the University of California, Riverside.
Ruby is a multimedia teaching artist from San José, California. She is currently teaching art classes at multiple elementary schools through programs at the San José Museum of Art and MACLA. She also runs her own small business: Ruby Bloo Art where she creates prints, stickers, and other art merchandise to sell locally and online. She is a passionate advocate for the empowerment and well-being of youth to create a thriving community for the present and future. With her art she discusses resilience and self-discovery as well as celebrates childhood memories. Ruby loves to depict themes of fragility, growth, and the emotional intricacies of relationships. She hopes to one day bring a communal studio providing art classes for youth in East San José. Ruby also enjoys weight training, bike riding, and baking fruity desserts.
Hi, I am Renee. I am an artist and entrepreneur who doesn’t limit her canvas and operates as a fine artist with mixed media canvases. My primary medium and passion is fine art body painting, performance art, and mannequins. I truly love working with the human body from a holistic and scientific approach before the art. I am a Licensed Esthetician by the state of California for over 12 years, a Reiki practitioner, and museum curator in the making. I am the owner of Renee Hamilton Fine Art LLC and have an art studio at Visual Philosophy in San José, CA. I believe there are many stories that need to be told and many messages that need to be received. Art through the lens of the human body and its’ form, whether alive or still is my form of communication to the world.
I am Ben Henderson, an artist/designer and musician from San José. I’ve been drawing and painting my whole life, and made the leap into full time art & design work around 2006. My love for making posters and T-shirts for my own bands growing up turned into designing logos and packaging for local coffee companies, which then led me to all types of creative design projects around the South Bay. As clients I was doing work for started opening up their own brick and mortar shops around town, I decided in 2011 that I wanted to bring my creativity to their storefronts and try my hand at painting signs and murals for them instead of going the typical route of plastic signs and banners. One store and business led to another, and before I knew it I was keeping very busy designing and painting signs and murals all around downtown San José and beyond. I call my studio Brush House Art & Design, and I have been residing inside Local Color’s art studios since 2018. My aim is to maintain a hand crafted and illustrative quality to all projects I take on, whether they are digital posters or painted storefronts and signs. I’m very proud to have designed and produced dozens of very recognizable storefronts, signs and brands in the greater downtown area - and I look forward to many more years of making the city I live in a more creative and inviting place for all.
Kaory is an indigenous (Wixarika and Na’ayarite) scholar and visual artist with a focus on ceramics. She was born in Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico before migrating to Los Angeles as a young child. Their art is informed by their cultural background and lived experiences. Their work and research include identity formation, media representation, systems of communication, and environmentalism as they relate to indigenous futurism. Kaory is a recent graduate of the University of California, Berkeley earning degrees in Media Studies and Art Practice in 2022. Her work has been included in various programming by the art department including extro-introspection: senior thesis exhibit (spring 2022), forgiving the forgotten (fall 2022) honors exhibit at Worth Ryder Gallery. Their work has also been featured in the larger Bay Area at the Berkeley Art Center, Marin MOCA, Empire Seven Studios in San José and works/sanjosé. The artist currently resides in unceded Tamien – Muwekma Ohlone land/San José, California.
Josie Lepe’s gaze is that of a Mexican immigrant, Latina mother-based artist and a photojournalist by trade. She redefines the visual representation of what she calls the “Latines” community. Lepe focuses on visuals that portray females as a counter-image to stereotypes and reinforce positive characterization of her culture as a Mexican American. Lepe is an award-winning independent photojournalist who has been working in the industry of newspapers for the past 25 years. She worked for The Mercury News in San Jose as a photojournalist, photo lab manager, assignment editor, photo editor and multimedia producer from 1999-2018. Lepe was part of the Bay Area News Group (East Bay Times) team that won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News for coverage of the Ghost Ship fire in Oakland, California.
With an AS in Design, a BFA in Illustration, and an MA in Education, Elba Raquel (she/her), works as a High School Art Teacher and a freelance artist, exhibiting throughout the Bay Area as a solo artist and live painting at various events and festivals with her crew Together We Create. Having completed five murals in San José, she is expanding her practice to new heights. Her freelance work is recognized by desaturated figures juxtaposed against bright backgrounds and rhythmic compositions which she describes as “fantastic realism.”
Alyssa Wigant is a designer, illustrator, and muralist based in San José. Known for her whimsical hand-lettering and dynamic illustrations, Alyssa combines analog and digital mediums in her art process to create truly unique work. Outside of her day job as an interactive designer, Alyssa has created large-scale public work with corporations (Twitter, San José Earthquakes), local South Bay businesses (City of San José, Voyager Craft Coffee, Dottie’s Roller Skate Shop), and nonprofits (Local Color SJ) alike. Her ability to merge brand identity and creative vision with her own artistry is highly regarded by all of her clients.