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About The Artist
The Art & Design Team worked to find artists as diverse as the honorees.
They sought artists who were committed to building the capacity of others,
and were connected to the community surrounding Market Creek Plaza. Twelve
artists with a gift for portraiture, men and women spanning three generations,
worked over a four-month period to bring the faces to canvas.
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Berenice Badillo
Berenice Badillo believes art frees the soul and that the youth
of America have the desire and need to express themselves in a nonviolent
manner. Berenice is the founder and executive director of San Diego
StreetScape, a youth-run arts organization with the goal of healing
communities through the arts. She is also the art director and collaborate
partner in “ELEMENTAL,” a drug- and alcohol-free, after-hours
teen club. Berenice has been featured in more than 20 gallery exhibits
and has created several commissioned murals. Back
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Brian Lagemann
Brian Lagemann, born and raised in San Diego, has been a professional
graphic designer for seven years. Believing that art shouldn’t
be restricted to one medium, he established himself as a multi-faceted
artist using oil, acrylic, charcoal, spray paint, and pencil to
express his artistic vision. In addition to his graphic design work,
Brian leads the Writers Block youth art program, assisting in mural
projects, mentoring youth via artistic training, and acting as a
mentor for younger community artists. Back
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Byron Wooden (Deceased)
Byron Wooden, a San Diegan whose artistic works focused on the
African-American culture and children, was a published artist
recognized locally and
abroad. He was a freelance illustrator and multi-media artist whose
work has been exhibited in galleries and art shows throughout
the
United States. He created ads for corporations including Coca-Cola,
Embassy Suites Hotels, Home Federal Savings, and Sea World and
was
a published artist who illustrated a children’s book titled
Followers of the North Star. Back
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Carmen Linares Kalo
In her life-long pursuit of art, Carmen Linares Kalo’s work
ranges from expressionistic to realistic. Working mostly with acrylic
on canvas, Carmen’s work conveys the depth of her bi-cultural
upbringing in Tijuana and the Golden Hill area of San Diego. Influenced
by an eclectic field of Mexican and German artists, Carmen has grown
into a well-known muralist. In addition to her work in San Diego’s
Chicano Park, she has created murals in Los Angeles, San Francisco,
Seattle, Oregon, and Canada. Back
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Dan Reyes Camacho
Painting has been an intricate part of Dan Reyes Camacho’s
life for more than 15 years. He was born and raised in the Philippines,
immigrated to the United States at 16, and grew up in the southeastern
area of San Diego. Now working in graphic design, illustration,
and set design as a freelancer, he has completed projects for the
San Diego Symphony, Nordstrom’s Fashion Valley, and the United
States Navy. Dan’s artwork has been featured in galleries
such as Gallery 504, Clayton’s Coffee House, North Park Studios
in San Diego, and in various independent shows.
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Elaine Ruiz
Elaine Ruiz is a native San Diegan and a second-generation Mexican
descendent. She says her inspiration comes from present-day political
dramas and the human emotions they evoke. Elaine’s art has
been featured by many local, national, and international forums.
Awards for her work include the Del Mar Fair Art Show “People’s
Choice Award” and prestigious awards from the Clairemont Art
Guild. Her primary goal as an artist is to inspire and guide female
artists in the Chicano community to achieve their artistic goals
and dreams in life. Back
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Gil Dominguez
Gil Dominguez was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1947. When he was
10, his family migrated to East Los Angeles, settling in Santa Monica.
Since then, he has lived in Athens, London, Hollywood, and San Francisco,
returning to New York in 1980. While in New York, he was instrumental
in refurbishing the downtrodden Carlton Arms Hotel into an “art
hotel,” which has gained local and international attention
for the transformational power of art. Now a graphic designer for
Pfizer, Inc., Gil’s goal as an artist is to reveal realms
of consciousness through color and form. Back
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Ricardo Islas
The art of Ricardo Islas stems from his desire to portray Mexican
culture and the social issues Chicanos grapple with every day. Using
the canvas as his camera, he captures a moment in time where he
can offer a glimpse into the struggle of the Mexican people. A Chicano
artist for three years who uses oil on canvas as his primary medium,
Ricardo is a California native who grew up in Calexico, a border
town similar to San Diego. His art was recently featured in San
Diego’s Clayton’s Coffee House, the Mesa College Gallery,
and North Park Studio. Back
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R.J. Wharton
Born in Washington, D.C., R..J. Wharton believes artists play an
important role in society: to record the era through his or her
perspective and convey it with truth. According to R.J., the artist’s
job is to paint stories everyone can understand. His work has
been
exhibited in the Artist Colony of Encinitas; Atlanta, Georgia Arts
Festival; and the Charles Rucker Gallery of San Diego. A former
board member of the San Diego Art Institute and former member of
the selection panel of the Center City Development Corporation,
R.J. also worked on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Promenade Project
and as an artist-in-residence of the Sojourner Truth Academy. Back
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Savaii Seau
Capturing the essence of movement, Savaii Seau uses his intricate
drawings to portray the fierce intensity and competitiveness of
an athlete. He experiments with a variety of mixed media and techniques
to show his admiration for the athlete and an intimate understanding
of the game. Savaii has created pieces for American Express Sports
Financial Advisors and his art has been on display at the San Diego
Chargers headquarters, the Viktor Gallery in La Jolla, and the Stephen
Clayton Gallery in Coronado. Back
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Shannon White
Shannon White believes the world is full of beauty that only lasts
for a second. As an artist, her primary goal is to capture that
beauty and make it permanent, so it can be recalled time and time
again. Her work has been exhibited at Clayton’s Coffee House,
the Shannondon Photo Art Studio, and the San Diego Mesa College
Art Gallery, where she earned an honorable mention in the Student
Art Exhibition. Her ties to the community are deep, having grown
up near Gompers High School, just down the street from Market Creek
Plaza. Back to Top |
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Victor Ochoa
Victor Ochoa’s art is a reflection of his view of how art
can be used as an instrument of change and awareness, believing
that Chicano art dynamics derive from the responsibility of their
movement. He has contributed to more than 75 murals and other public
art projects in Southern California, Mexico, and abroad. Victor
is involved in art mentoring programs and cultural art programs
geared toward the positive aspects of the graffiti art movement.
He works as the Mexican-Chicano art history professor at Grossmont
College. Back
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