CALEXICO — International Women’s Day is typically celebrated globally on March 8, and is dedicated as a celebration of the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women all around the world.
On Tuesday, March 12, the city of Calexico held a special International Women’s Day celebration and exhibit at the Carmen Durazo Cultural Arts Center, featuring female artists from all over the Imperial Valley, Mexicali, Yuma, Salton Sea and surrounding areas.
Norma Gerardo, arts and recreation director for the city of Calexico, gave artists, guests and visitors a warm and eloquent welcome on opening night of the artist showcase. City officials and the mayor were on hand for a ribbon-cutting celebration commemorating the event.
“Everyone here supports women. Thank you for being here, and God bless you,” Calexico Mayor Gloria G. Romo said in dedicating the event.
As the pink ribbon was cut, guests in the hallway cheered and applauded, yelling “Brávo!” as they excitedly entered the exhibit area. To the artists, Romo said, “Congratulations, and thank you for sharing your art with the community!”
As part of the welcoming, guests were treated to two folklorico dance groups led by Socorro Mendiola, who directed and choreographed four lively musical numbers. The dancers gracefully and cheerfully performed their numbers as they twirled about in their colorful dresses and costume attire.
“Thank you for accompanying us and for coming out to see our progress and our dancing,” Mendiola said, as she and her group of dancers posed for a photograph.
Sisters and artists Angela and Jinx Leyva, who are 16 years apart in age, featured their love for popular culture via their art. The sisters’ distinctive style is inspired by the movies of Alfred Hitchcock and the Golden Age of Hollywood. “We’re inspired by our interests and popular culture,” said older sister Angela.
Several weeks earlier, the Calexico Recreation Department had put out a call for artists wishing to participate in this exhibit. Participation was free of charge, and each artist could submit three to five pieces of art to display. “It took about a week, possibly a bit longer, to put this show together,” Arts and Recreation’s Gerardo said.
“We have 58 artists from around the Valley participating, and 137 art pieces,” she added.
Mayor Romo reflected on the significance of the event. “Women artists are my favorite people to highlight — at least once a year.” Her two favorite art exhibit pieces are by Nidia Real and Claudia Zamorano, who each have dramatically unique styles.
Whereas artist Nidia Real tends to favor neutral colors and muted tones when painting the female form, Claudia Zamorano’s “Mujér Dinámica” is a portrait of a woman smiling, done in bright, bold colors. Both styles transmit specific ideas and themes about womanhood and femininity, conveying different feelings.
Romo was happy to see the unique personality and style of every female artist shine through. “For me, it is one of the most important celebrations — and magnificent for the city of Calexico,” she said.
Artists’ in Focus
One artist by the name of Jazz Ledbetter, originally from Connecticut and now living in Brawley, said she has been doing art her entire life but has focused on it more rigorously in the last five years. She describes her compilation of works as affirmative statement pieces that are “bright and vibrant.”
Ledbetter has authored a book based on her life called: “Harlot Heart: Tributes to Triumph.” She is also the founder of a non-profit organization by the same name, which helps survivors and those affected by human trafficking. As both an artist and advocate for social issues, Ledbetter feels it is important to make a positive difference in the community.
Lupita Muñoz, an artist and mother from Mexicali, brought her son along with her to view the art. Her artwork centers around family and women’s issues, such as breast cancer, which is why some of her paintings are in pink. One of her paintings entitled, “Solo Queria Decirte Lo Que Me Paso,” is about the many mixed emotions that breast cancer survivors experience and about the need to talk about these feelings with others.
Two of her other paintings, called “Mujér Aláda” and “Sólo Mirando,” are tributes to Muñoz’s daughter. She says the images came together after a series of screenshots taken during Zoom calls with her adult daughter, who lives in Denver, during the pandemic. Her talent has been crafted over time, via online classes and in-person studies.
Her son Mauro said, “My mom took classes for the first time about 15 years ago. She came back to them during the pandemic, and she is more consistent now. Her works are emotional and close to her heart.”
Elizabeth M. Ibarra of El Centro is another artist on exhibit at the Cultural Arts Center. Originally from the East Coast, she calls herself “the Mermaid of the Desert.” She has several works on display, but her favorite one is titled, “A Portrait of Leonel and Elizabeth of Seven Wonders: Indie Rock Duo.” This painting was inspired by her love of ancient history, mythology, and her husband’s album cover.
Ibarra is an award-winning fine artist, a jewelry designer, and a certified art instructor. Ibarra shares that she has been doing art shows in Calexico since 2011, and that her entire family is creative and artistic. Her husband, Leonel, (whom she met while living in Mexico) is also an artist and a professional musician — as well as a John Lennon impersonator. Their son, age 6, seems to have inherited their creative genes.
See also
Another portrait on display by Ibarra is an acrylic on canvas called “La Pasión de Frida,” which is reminiscent of the stylized abstract art that the artist is fond of. She explains the tribute portrait to Mexican artist Frida Kahlo as a visual representation of her “vibrant energy, full expression, and no filter — which brings her essence to life!”
Her favorite artist, and most powerful inspiration, is the world-renowned American artist Georgia O’Keefe. Known for her portraits of giant flowers, O’Keefe was a close friend of artist Frida Kahlo and her husband, Diego Rivera.
As Ibarra reflects on this friendship, she is quick to connect the local women artists and activists from the community who paved the way for other artists, such as Hildy Carrillo (whom she calls the “fairy godmother”), Sandra Tauler, Carmen Durázo, and Norma Sierra Galindo, among others.
Arts commissioner Roxsana Pacheco was in attendance at the event. An artist herself, Roxsana was excited to see other artists’ work. She said, “I’m glad to see that there are so many female artists in the Valley.”
Pacheco’s friend, Miriam Villarreal Marcuson, is one of those artists, as well as an eighth-grade art teacher at Wilson Junior High School in El Centro. Her artwork focuses on self-portraits and family portraits. Her self-portrait on display “was inspired by a difficult time in my life,” according to Miriam. The portrait of her mother at age 21, (done from a photograph) with its intentional and unintentional imperfections, and stitched together like a wound, highlights the complicated relationship between mothers and daughters.
Yet another artist, by the name of Adriana Quiróz from Calexico, has been doing art since graduating high school in the year 2000. She earned her associate’s degree in art from Imperial Valley College and has recently been taking acrylic classes at the recreation center in Calexico on Wednesdays.
She says her inspiration to make art is rooted in “feminism — and all things related to women.” Her art style is very distinctive, and her themes are usually those of nostalgia, painting young girls and activities from her childhood. She considers her art to be very personal, which is why she does not yet sell it. But she admits she may reconsider that sometime in the future.
The Women’s Day exhibit runs through March 21. The next art exhibit for the city of Calexico will be on May 7 and will be themed “Creative Young Minds.” The city invites all young and beginner artists to submit and share their work.
Arts and Recreation’s Gerardo wishes to remind the community that, “Here in Calexico, we have a love for the arts.”
