Online Exhibit: Saturday, November 7th – December 31st | Visit the online gallery.
Virtual Reception: Saturday, November 7, 2020, 4:30pm. FREE- View the virtual gallery reception.
The PAL Gallery, sponsored by the Alameda Education Foundation (AEF), was inspired by the Rhythmix Performance, Art & Learning (PAL) program, to bring together visual artists whose work celebrates the local cultures and communities that make living in the Bay Area so unique. The PAL Gallery features artwork from Salma Arastu, Virginia Jourdan, Irene Juarez O’Connell and Talavera-Ballon. These artists create work that honors the people who have formed our communities, past and present, acknowledges the contributions of immigrants to our society, gives a new voice to unseen/unsung heroes in everyday life, and shows the interdependence of people, communities and all living beings on our earth.
During the reception, the artists will share characteristic pieces from their collections and discuss the motivations that drive their work.
Rhythmix Performance, Art & Learning (PAL) is a youth arts education program developed in collaboration with the Alameda Unified School District for elementary students in Grades 2-5. PAL fosters awareness about world cultures and empowers underserved youth through exposure to world music and dance. Rhythmix offers this program at no cost to over 3,000 students annually.
Alameda Education Foundation (AEF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting educational opportunities for Alameda public school students. For the 2020-21 school year, AEF is partnering with Rhythmix to provide a visual art component aligning with RCW’s PAL program that includes a video demonstration by featured artists along with a student project based on each artist’s work.
Artist Bios
Salma Arastu explains her life this way: “As a woman, Hindu, Muslim, artist, and mother, I work to create harmony by expressing the universality of humanity through paintings, sculpture, and calligraphy. Inspired by the imagery, sculpture, and writings of my Indian heritage and Islamic spirituality, I use my artistic voice to break down the barriers that divide in order to foster peace and understanding. At birth, I was given the life-defining challenge of a left hand without fingers. Seeing the unity of an all-encompassing God, I was able to transcend the barriers often set-forth in the traditions of religion, culture and the cultural perceptions of handicaps. My personal triumphs have been defined and shaped by the simple principle of faith in The Divine, as the compelling force which has guided my life and work.”
https://salmaarastu.com/
Artwork: Embracing All Communities. Acrylics, pen & ink, Salma Arastu.
Virginia Jourdan is an international exhibiting artist who received her BFA in Illustration from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, CA and studied fine art, printmaking and graphic arts at City College of San Francisco. She continued developing her talents studying abroad, attending painting workshops in Italy and China. Virginia captures the soul of humanity and illustrates the dignity of African American people. In her words: “I find release from my own personal dramas when I’m able to express them as universal. As an artist, I help others make sense of the human experience. I guide people in awakening and living from the highest potential inherent within them. I want to arouse a sense of pride among African Americans. I want to evoke a feeling of power, strength, authority, elegance, and prestige.”
http://www.virginiajourdan.com/
Artwork: Carnival (Ruby Bridges). Acrylic, 36 x 24 in, Virginia Jourdan.
Irene Juarez O’Connell is a mentor, educator, and advocate for youth and young people in Santa Cruz County. Originally from Los Angeles, Irene came to Santa Cruz to study Public Art and Latin American & Latino Studies at UCSC. She has served the community in mentorship roles in local high schools and in the Santa Cruz Juvenile Detention Center. She is passionate about the intersections where youth expression and creativity can meet empowerment for lasting, impactful change for their lives and their communities. Irene has received the NEXTie for Artist of the Year 2017 Award and the Eduardo Carrillo Healing the Community with Art Award that same year.
https://beachflatsmural.com/
Artwork: Excerpt from Ohlone Village/Aldea Ohlone, Panel 2 of the Santa Cruz Beach Flats Mural. Designed by Irene Juarez O’Connell, painted by Beach Flats community members.
Talavera-Ballón is a Peruvian-born painter based in San Francisco, CA. A disciple of acclaimed artist Luis Palao Berastain, he skillfully captures the essence of ordinary people’s lives and their surroundings across diverse regions and cultures of the Americas. He explores themes that highlight important social and cultural aspects of the people and places he has encountered. His work is also a tribute to immigrants like himself who left their home countries in search of new horizons.
http://www.talavera-ballon.com/
Artwork: Desafiando la marea. Oil on canvas, 48″x 24″, Talavera-Ballón.
Banner image: Excerpt from Mexica Calendar / Calendario Mexica, Panel 6 of the Santa Cruz Beach Flats Mural. Irene Juarez O’Connell (design) and Beach Flats community members.