La Onda Latino at The Studio Door: A Celebrating Latin Colors of the Soul, Cultural Identity and Expression

By Luz Maria Villanueva PhD

Nestled in the vibrant heart of Hillcrest, The Studio Door Gallery serves as the backdrop for La Onda Latino, a powerful and evocative exhibition curated by Andy Gonzalez. Featuring a diverse array of Latino artists, this show is an invitation—an entryway into a world where cultural roots, political struggles, and artistic evolution collide in mesmerizing forms. Even if you've never set foot in an art gallery before, step inside. Let your curiosity guide you. Lose yourself in the stories each piece whispers, in the mysteries waiting to be unraveled. 

Mario Chacon: Echoes of Indigenous Spirits

Muralist Mario Chacon breathes ancestral life into three breathtaking acrylic pieces. His art calls forth the spirits of corn and ceremonial dancers, paying homage to sacred traditions often overshadowed by modernity. Vibrant brushstrokes pulse with energy, urging viewers to reconnect with their indigenous past, to honor the spiritual ties that bind generations.

Jessie Villa: Dali, Desire, and Deception

Jessie Villa’s surreal acrylic work conjures Salvador Dalí’s infamous words: “Have no fear of perfection—you will never reach it.” But why Antonio and Salma? A nod to Hollywood’s fetishization of Latino sensuality? A political statement? Dalí himself appears in the piece, a puppet among puppets. Vela’s art sparks debate—best discussed over wine and cigars.

Jenny Moreno: Youthful Whimsy with a Contemporary Twist

Colombian artist Jenny Moreno ensures her work cannot be ignored. Bursting with intricate details and hypnotic motion, her acrylic pieces evoke the dreamlike nostalgia of adolescence. The soft, romantic hues transport the viewer back to childhood wonder—yet, beneath the whimsy, there is depth, a sophisticated dance between playfulness and reflection.

Martin Luera: The Harmony of Masculine and Feminine

Martin Luera bridges the divide between tradition and modernity. His bold yet harmonious acrylic pieces explore identity through color and balance. Masculinity and femininity intertwine seamlessly, reflecting the duality of culture and self-expression.

Gallerist Patric Stillman and Curator Andy Gonzalez in front of Jannette Delgadillo’s artwork Life, Death, and Rebirth

Delgadillo taps into the rich tradition of calaveras—skulls that symbolize both mortality and renewal. Her mixed-media portraits confront the viewer with melancholic beauty. Eyes, sorrowful yet vibrant, gaze outward. In the center, two calacas embrace, surrounded by blooming flowers—a love story told through acrylic and oil. Are these pieces about relationships? Endings? Transformations? The viewer is left to wonder.

A Gallery That Speaks to the Soul

La Onda Latino is more than an exhibition—it is a conversation between past and present, struggle and celebration, reality and imagination. Each piece in The Studio Door is an echo of something greater, a pulse that refuses to be ignored. Gallerist Patric Stillman has once again opened a portal to something profound, something necessary.

If you crave art that does more than decorate a wall—if you seek art that moves, challenges, questions—this is the place. La Onda Latino is a testament to the beauty, resilience, and complexity of the Latino spirit. Step inside. See for yourself.

La Onda Latino at Studio Door Gallery
Until Sat March 1
3867 Fourth Avenue, San Diego, CA 92103
Regular Gallery Hours: Tuesday - Saturday • 11 AM - 6 PM or by appointment  
619-255-2867  forallweknow@thestudiodoor.com

Luz Maria Villanueva is a Clinical Psychologist, Life Coach, Writer, and Speaker. She is the President and Co-founder of Latinas with Purpose, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting writing and art.

afra eisma: Hush at ICA Central - Balboa Park

by Patricia Frischer 

I walked into afra eisma: Hush at ICA Central in Balboa Park and immediately started to smile. I just could not feel anything but uplifted with the joyful colors and soft welcoming textures. Boobie Spider greets you at the top of the stairs and I found this cluster of tits with the long appendages anchoring his work  adorable, protective and powerful. The glass half empty might say aggressive, vulnerable and threatening, but that says more about the viewer I feel than the artist.

But the section of Warrior Garments gives more insight into the trauma that eisma has endured. Layers of silent protection are combined with revealing words which are quite frightening. These layers are also evident in the many framed drawings

The title Hush for this exhibition (her first one person show in the US for this Dutch artist) is not really about making sure you remain quiet. It is more about breathing and the hush sounds you make on exhale through your mouth. This exhale is known to be a calming act (at least in the yoga I do) and although the colors are lively, the ambiance created is intended to create a safe environment. Hush the installation rug was specially created for the ICA and with the sound and lighting elements, you are invited to take off your shoes and hug the soft sculpture to your heart content.

The texture of the wall hanging and the large area rug seemed to be a combination of tufted and hooked as tufted rugs are sheared to create a smooth pile, while hooked rugs are left unshorn to create a looped pile. I think I saw both. Some of the colors are almost day glow luminescent. They are scattered ceramic elements, the most appealing were the color glazed shoes.

A deeper dive reveals a whole make-believe world of comfort and acceptance. I think we all want to escape on occasion, especially so in the last years. The tapestries depict the places that eisma has created for herself and for us where there is no judgement, lots of love, healing can take place, everyone is accepted. Is it too bad that this is necessary…absolutely. But I am glad to have found this place where an artist has managed to win.

I want to give full credit to Jordan Karney Chaim, who is the curator for the ICA exhibitions and found  this artist in a Miami art fair. She is responsible for nurturing the artist and her team and went to Holland to visit the artist's studio. Bravo, Jordan. 

afra eisma: Hush
ICA Central, Balboa Park
Sat, Feb 15, to Sun. June 1
Thursday–Sunday 12:00 to 5:00 pm

detail

detail

detail

Hush, detail

Hush

Boobie Spider

Boobie Spider, detail looking down

Boobie Spider, looking up

Boobie Spider

Warrior Garments

Ceramic samples

A Collective Breath, a special  Feb. 23^rd concert inspired by afra eisma’s colorful Hush exhibit presented by the engaging musicians of Art of Elan.
Photo by Gary Payne @garypaynePhotography. 

afra eisma: Hush
ICA Central, Balboa Park
Sat, Feb 15, to Sun. June 1
Thursday–Sunday 12:00 to 5:00 pm

While you are in Balboa Park, don't forget to see the San Diego Visual Arts Network's San Diego Art Prize 2024 at the San Diego History Center. It closes on Sunday, March 16th.

Fredric Hope: Silent Storytellers at William D. Cannon Art Gallery

by Patricia Frischer

On a day I was glad for the rain as it reduced my fear of fires, I got a special treat. I braved the weather to see the new  Fredric Hope: Silent Storytellers exhibition at the William D. Cannon Art Gallery  and I found HOPE.. That is what really good art can do for you.

I knew nothing about this artist, but found out that his influences were Giorgio Morandi and  Wayne Thiebaud, two of my favorites. You can clearly see these artists in works that are well-crafted and studiously observed. Hope has a unique perspective. They are southern California shorescapes, but there is a surreal element to the works and some very modern twists. 

Although he was a commercial designer for Disney and Universal, he shifted to teaching and that gloss that results from the commercial world is not interfering with a sort of purity of vision you see in these compositions. There is a area for creation in the new layout of the Cannon Gallery to honor this artists dedication to his teaching. 

Fredric Hope: Silent Storytellers at William D. Cannon Art Gallery
February 7 through June 28
Reception Feb 22, 3 to 6 pm
Opening Times: Tues - Sat 12 - 5 p.m.

Hello, Dollies! Paper Doll-Making at Front Porch Gallery in Carlsbad

By Lonnie Burstein Hewitt. Photos by Maurice Hewitt.

 A great start on a doll at the Artful Paper Doll Workshop on January 30^th.

 

I hadn’t been to Front Porch Gallery in a long time, but the idea of making paper dolls using colorful papers, fabrics, trinkets, and any interesting bits and pieces the Gallery had or you wanted to bring from home was appealing… especially since it was taking place during a big event: the annual Gallery Takeover by folks whose artworks were created at FPG workshops during the past year.

 Tiny Creative Habits.

More from the Gallery Takeover.

And an environmental piece.

“Creative thinking is part of being human,” said Gallery Director Cathy Carey. “Art is not a luxury; it’s a basic human need. Art practices promote healing, well-being, and even longevity, and they’re even more fun when you can do them in a social setting, like here in the gallery.”

Just walking in the door was an inspiration. And for someone like me, more used to putting words together than actual artworks, it was inspirational to see what others in the workshop were creating from the tables full of multicolored papers, ribbons, stickers, scraps of fabric and assorted doodads… plus of course their own imaginations.

Surprise.

Different.

Two Dolls, from one doll-maker.

The friendly staff were always ready to help when help was needed. I’d brought a few of my own bits and pieces, and I’ve had some experience with collage, but doll-making was a whole new world. So I definitely needed help, and Teaching Artist Robin Barrett was full of suggestions I’d never have come up with on my own…even the most efficient ways of cutting and pasting.

The Writer’s Doll.

There’s something for everyone at Front Porch Gallery, and all workshops and events are free of charge. Try to come while the Gallery Takeover is still on view. You’ve seen only a teeny bit of it here, and it closes March 13^th.

I’m closing with two images of a two-sided doll: one side a Gardener, the other a Glamour Girl--all this done in two hours!     

Two-Sided Doll 1. 

Two-Sided Doll 2.

 

And these last few words: What a great way to spend a couple of hours!

Whenever you’re here, you’ll be happy you came.

Front Porch Gallery
2903 Carlsbad Blvd.  Carlsbad, CA 92008
Phone: 760-795-6120
Hours: Wednesday-Friday, 11am-5 pm.  Saturday: 11-4. 

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Lonnie Burstein Hewitt is an award-winning author/lyricist/playwright who has been writing about arts and lifestyles in San Diego County for over a dozen years. You can reach her at hew2@sbcglobal.net

 

The Half-Life of Marie Curie and The Art of Dr. Beata Mierzwa at New Village Arts

 by Patricia Frischer

Dr. Beata Mierzwa

At the play The Half-Life of Marie Curie, I learned a lot about Marie Curie that I did not know in the angst filled performance by Rachael VanWormer, which was delightfully countered by Leigh Scarritt as Hertha Ayrton, the engineer and suffragette. Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the first person to win a Nobel Prize TWICE and in two different scientific fields. She had an affair at a time that women simply could not do what men did without being labeled a harlot. I learned to see how “half life” can refer to a change in elemental make-up, a change in life direction and even as a concept of a further life after death.  The play Half-Life of Marie Curie at New Village Arts until Feb 23 does this all in one act of 70 minutes.

I was mesmerized by Leigh Scarritt who controlled the stage with her sidesways glances and moveable face. I knew nothing of Hertha Ayrton, but she is now seared in my memory and this role was made for Scarritt. A minimal stage with terrific lighting affects was the most visually artistic part of the experience besides the display by Dr. Beata Mierzwa in the lobby. 

I was moved by the notes in the playbill: 

Kym Pappas Director’s Notes:
"This is for the women. You who are strong. Resilient. You who combine courage and compassion. Thank you. This is for you. The Fearless. This is for the Mothers. For the Grandmothers. For the teachers. You who are sanctuary. This is for you. For the warriors. The ones who are deemed loud…assertive…demanding. Thank you. This is for you. This is for the poets. For the ones who speak…for the ones who dance…for the bitches and the witches too. Thank you. This is for the geniuses. For the girls who struggle in math class and the ones who excel. This is for you. This is for the ones who travel, who carve a path for all to follow. For the ones who strut. The ones whose laughter could heal a nation. The ones who love the animals. This is for you. This is for the ones who write the words and speak the words and sing the words too. Thank you. This is for the ones who feel like they just cannot anymore. Those who carry the dark. This is for you. This is for the ones who show up, who bring the light. This is for you. Thank you. This is for the women. For all of the ways we show up in the world, for all of the ways we get each other through. Thank you"

 Rachael VanWormer as the  scientist Marie Curie 

Leigh Scarritt as Hertha Ayrton, the engineer and suffragette.

A wonderful drunk moment in the performance

Special lighting by Curtis Mueller

Dr. Beata Mierzwa is a molecular biologist working on division of animal cells. Her works of art are based on this subject and her goal is to help communicate science in a different way. She uses fundamental scientific aspects to create drawings for both scientists and non-scientists to discover the beauty in fundamental biological principles. Her works for this show are printed and presented in rich color and a reflective surface. On display is also one of her fashion designs…fabric and jewelry as well as a digital game Microscopya. 

Dr. Beata Mierzwa

Dr. Beata Mierzwa

Dr. Beata Mierzwa

Dr. Beata Mierzwa

Dr. Beata Mierzwa

The Half-Life of Marie Curie
Ray Charles Stage in the Conrad Prebys Theatre at the Dea Hurston New Village Arts Center
Jan 24- Feb 23, 2025
Written By Lauren Gunderson
Directed By Kym Pappas
2787 State Street, Carlsbad, CA 92008
760-433-3245