Artist Lounge Community Mural Project, The Citadel Art Studios, San Jose, CA. 2024
An ongoing, community-based mural project was created to beautify the artist lounge at the Citadel Art Studios in the Martha Gardens Art District. The first phase of the mural was painted by five artists from FUSE-presents (an art collective based at the Citadel Art Studios), the mural was painted at different times, in rotation, collaboratively by Trudy Levy, Emmanuel Cervantes-Mejia, Eddie Ramirez, Ruthie Yamada, and Valentino Loyola.
A community art tree that signifies the original FUSE artists, current, and future artists of the Citadel Art Studios community is the theme for the mural and is inspired by the longstanding art show posters that were previously pinned across the artist lounge walls. They spanned local art and BFA shows from San Jose State University over the last decade. Conceptualized by Valentino in collaboration with Citadel Art Studios management; workshopped between FUSE Board members– it is open to artists with studios at the Citadel, and artists from extended creative communities are welcome to add elements that reflect them, too.
A key objective of this community mural project was to execute it without any new transactions for materials and supplies. The first phase (seen in the image below) was done with upcycled, donated, and repurposed paints, and supplies. In addition, to using existing materials and supplies, a multi-water bucket wash system to clean the brushes was established. No paint/water used to wash brushes entered any plumbing. The washing water was poured into other buckets, halfway filled with dirt, and allowed to dry then, disposed of. It was an opportunity to implement a sustainability statement to this art project to challenge the artists and demonstrate sustainability practices.
Community Organizer, Art Swap and RAC Exhibition, San Jose Climate Art Symposium-Day 2, San Jose, CA. 2024
The Art Swap and RAC Exhibition was the 2nd half of the culmination of the City of San Jose’s Resilient Artist Cohort pilot program (a first in the nation’s climate change efforts to promote sustainability, via, artists with deep ties to priority neighborhoods) to advance sustainability and set in motion, climate action in the Bay Area arts and cultural sector.
After a three-month workshop of intense, sustainability knowledge sharing, community building, studio visits, and share-back presentations with cultural strategist Devon Bella in partnership with Danielle Siembeda (Sr. Arts Program Manager who launched and oversaw the RAC program with a hands-on approach), the program closed with a two-day Climate Art Symposium. Day 1 was hosted by the San Jose Museum of Art on October 11th, and consisted of a multi-panel talk; Day 2 was the Art Swap and RAC Exhibition held at the San Jose Environmental Innovation Center, on October 12th, 2024.
The objective of the Art Swap and RAC Exhibition was to further engage various communities, in a single location, and in conjunction with the Day 2 symposium’s sustainability workshops (also held at the SJEIC).
Participating artists: kaory santillan bueno, Josie Lepe, Julie Cardenas, Elba Raquel, Valentino Loyola, and Steven Rubalcaba. A full list of the Resilient Artist Cohort can be found here: RAC.
