THIS IS WHAT VICENTE VELAZQUES, THE STUDENT AT MONTEREY PENINSULA COLLEGE WROTE ME IN AN EMAIL. HE INTERVIEWED ME THIS WEEK AND DID A PRESENTATION FOR AN ART/FEMINIST COURSE HE IS TAKING THERE. I FELT VERY FLATTERED WITH WHAT HE WROTE ME SO I DECIDED TO SHARE THAT.

IF YOU READ THIS VICENTE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!

"Hey whats up Alejadra just wanted to tell you how my presentation went. Every one loved your art work and your story. My teacher Dr. Peet was got so exited when she saw Mural Dedicado a las Mujeres Latinas, specially when I was telling them about the world and how its a fetus inside, its because my teacher is all into feminist work in class she loves talking about Judy Chicago and the The Dinner Party, Frida kahlo and loves empowering women. My teacher is really nice I'm sure she would like to meet you because at the end of my presentation she wanted to know more about you and when I told her you had a website she got so happy. Everyone was surprise that you are only 22 years old (by the way my birthday on april 21 its all about the Taurus) and such an accomplish artist, Some of the artist that some students presented did not have such an impact on the class that your art work had. i guess i could go on for days about how the students like you but I think that is enough compliments=0).
Thank you so much for every thing, good luck with every thing you do and when your Rich and famous don't forget about the MPC stufent that inteviewed you for his class project."

1) What inspired you to become an artist or to do artwork?

1. Since I was a kid I had an interest towards the arts. I started by playing the guitar in 4th grade. I later became part of the Rondalla de Alisal, well known in the Salinas community. I also always played with my paints and colors at home. Teachers and classmates at school would always say positive things about my drawings. In High school I joined Hijos del Sol, which is part of the ALISAL CENTER FOR THE FINE ARTS, a non-profit organization in Salinas. There I met Jose Ortiz, who helped me a lot and motivated me and encouraged me to learn new things and to see myself as an artist I met great people and great artists as well. Through Hijos del sol I had a lot of opportunities and still do, to display my work through out the county. Jose sees everyone in Hijos del sol as colleagues and not as students. He’s a very humble human being. So, Hijos del Sol, Jose Ortiz and my peers motivated me to pursue this passion I have to art, and especially for painting.

2) Is there any artist that you admire or has inspire you?

2. In Hijos del sol I learned about Frida Kahlo. I was about 15 years old, and I became amazed with this woman. I felt empowered as a young Chicana (wanna be artist) with her story, history and work. I almost became obsessed with her. In a way it helped me by myself and become very engaged with my artwork without fear of what others would think. Since then she’s been my idol. I have read most of the books that have been written about her, I’ve also criticized them. I’ve done school reports on her, i have her videos, and in 2000 i visited her blue house in Coyoacán Mexico. I also feel very proud because I painted her for the first time his day of the dead. I admire Frida for being such a unique woman artist, so unafraid to express herself, for being a feminist in her era, and just for being so radical in her politics, art, love life, and for being part of “la causa” to make a more just Mexico, and of course for wearing those beautiful traditional indigenous dresses and accessories in a time, when Mexicans denied indigenous ancestry and claimed to only be Mexican. She showed pride of her indigenous ancestry.
I also admire los 3 Grandes, (Orozco, Siqueiros, & Rivera) I have apiece dedicated to them. They made history in Mexico and in the world. Finally 2 artists that I strongly admire are Chicana artist Juana Alicia and Jose Ortiz. Juana Alicia is from the bay area, lives in Berkeley. You can see her work if you visit www.juanaalicia.com She is an educator, feminist, activist, and she is very involved in the Latino community and uses her art to educate communities about social issue, injustices, and in her art creates positive solutions with beautiful imagery and bright colors. Jose Ortiz is an outstanding artist, muralist, educator and friend. He has a lot of talent and is very humble about it. He is also very involved in the community. I met him when I was in the 2nd grade, and later became part of Hijos del sol when I was 15. He still remembers that. He is a wonderful artist, and I feel privileged for having him near by and for being able to work with him.

3) Are their any events in your life that were difficult to overcome?

3.My parents worked in the fields. This was seasonal employment; so part of the year we were in Salinas and the other part we were in Mexico. This was somewhat uncomfortable because every time we came to Salinas my parents rented an apartment wherever they could find something they could afford. We always lived in different places and therefore had to go to different schools. I went to about 4 different elementary schools, 2 middle schools and only one high school. That was good. I graduated form high school in 3 years because i wanted to go to college and be on my own. My parents were the typical Mexican traditional catholic conservative parents. They didn’t let me go out much or do things that I wanted so that’s why I hurried up to be on my own. I wanted to meet new people and places. College was hard. I had to work to pay for my stuff. My parents couldn’t really help me out; they couldn’t afford to pay for my college education at all. Academically, it was a challenge at first, I always had good grade in k-12, but in college it was tough. I had to work extra hours on papers and presentations. But over all it was worth it. I discovered so much in my first year. I took Raza courses at sfsu, I grew as a person back then, and I continue to grow as a human being, artist, and everything else that I do.

4) Who are some of the women in Mural dedicadas a las Mujeres Latinas?

4. Mural Dedicado a las Mujeres Latinas del valle de salinas, was created as part of my capstone project at csumb. I wrote a paper on Chicana Public Art focusing at Juana Alicia’s work. I also did a series of portraits and this mural. The original idea was a little bit different that what it came out to be, but I’m happy with the outcome. In this mural I’m painting the Virgen of Guadalupe as the main symbol. She is also mother earth, coming out of the fields, where many women work everyday. In her hands she holds the world, which also is the womb with a fetus inside, I used translucency to have both. On top we have Frida Kahlo, a Zapatista woman, and Sor Juana Inez de La Cruz. All feminist Mujeres, strong Mujeres that have marked our history and that have done many things to create a better and more just world. Zapatista women and men still continue doing that today. So I tried to use important historical women to empower all those working class Mujeres in the fields. To demonstrate the things women have done and can do.

5) What are you trying to say with your art?
The “Great” Frida Kahlo

5. I am painting Frida in a different way. She is always painted in her typical dresses with her braids. I chose to paint her in a man’s suit, just the way she chose to be photographed when she was a teenager. That was an enormous statement at such young age. For Not being afraid to be different. That was maybe just a statement about her sexuality, but I still see it as a very feminist and creative statement being that she was so young when she did it. In my painting I used the black and white colors, to keep the same concept of the original photograph, but i added red designs, and words. To me the red symbolizes love, passion, pain, blood, revolution, and communism. Frida was a woman that was injured badly after her accident. Some consider that it was a miracle that she lived. Because she never had children, and had several miscarriages, I used the red to represent her bleeding as well. I also included words at the bottom of painting because I truly believe that she was all those things.

6) What are some important dates/events or defining moments in your life?

6. The most significant event in my life was definitely my daughter’s birth. That was the best, it doesn’t compare to anything. It was a feeling I never imagined. My daughter is my inspiration and she gives me ganas to continue on. Graduating from college after transferring so many times was very fulfilling. I felt very proud of myself. It was very hard to be in school full time, take care of my daughter and work. That’s why when I finished it felt great. In my career, I felt recognized as an artist when i was commissioned to do my first painting. I felt so happy that this family believed in my work and was willing to pay me for it. Also, when I was invited to exhibit my art work at the Tonantzin gallery in San Juan Bautista, and I’m also very happy now because I am showing pieces at the Pajaro valley art gallery and at the Mexican Museum in San Francisco. Most of these are for sale as well.

7) Do you have any message that you want to tell the world with your art?

7. I want to use my art as a teaching tool to educate, create awareness and solutions to societal and environmental issues. I want to follow Juana Alicia’s steps. I really admire her work and the meaning in each one of her pieces, and I really want to do as she is doing. I also consider myself a Chicana artist, so in my work I am motivating and empowering other young Chicanas out there.

8) What is some of your educational background?

8. Graduated from Alisal high 2000
SFSU 2000-2002
CSUHAYWARD one quarter
CSUMB 2003-2004 B.A.
Integrated Studies Special Major, “Visual Arts and History of the
Americas”
2005-Counselor Education SJSU
Work as Substitute Teacher with the SJUSD
I plan to become a counselor and art teacher and integrate both.

9) How long have you done art and why did you decide to do artwork?

9. I’ve been doing art since I was a kid, but officially started as a teenager. I will continue doing this forever. I love doing it. It makes me feel great and I’m happy that is also for a good cause and not just “art for the sake of art”, but art with a purpose to educate, to make this world a peaceful and more just place.