Women Artists Represent!

Xochitl Guerrero. Duality of Life and Death. 2011. Acrylic on canvas. Painting at the Forrealism Exhibition, November 2011.

This past weekend was a sweet milestone in terms of developing an art practice and a community here in Oakland, CA. Where to begin, really...

First, I'm proud to say that a dear friend of mine, Lulu, was there to share the experience in displaying work. After a year of taking classes, stressing, and alternately enjoying the art making process, we were invited to submit work for a group show. And, what a group show it was! As a part of a larger art event, Oakland's Art Murmur, the Forrealism Exhibition was a glimpse into a longstanding and thriving community of established Bay Area artists.

Mujeres Muralistas or How I "Got Into" College

A Tribute to the Mujeres Muralistas in the Mission Distroct, via Flickr/Franco Folini

Last summer, I decided to pursue an M.F.A. I had recently earned a Master of Arts in Art History, yet the desire to develop my skills as an artist tugged at me throughout my Art History studies. So here I am, starting anew. In order to prepare myself, I decided to take an Intro to Mural Art course, because it pertained to my favorite area in San Francisco--the vibrant Mission district, which is also commonly understood as the "Latino neighborhood."

During one of the early class sessions, my instructor was discussing his early career and passion for mural painting. He was so enamored with becoming a working artist that he aggressively pursued noted Mexican mural artist David Alfaro Siqueiros until he was able to work as his apprentice. He also talked about his visits to several universities in Mexico; during this part of the discussion, he revealed a longstanding cultural bias about women, the arts, and education -- that they do not belong together. The instructor looked me square in the eyes, and said, "You'll appreciate this story."