Blog Post Week 10

As this quarter comes to an end and I reflect back on these ten weeks, I must acknowledge the fact that this class truly broadened my understanding of Chicana Art and of the artists themselves as well. At the start of the quarter we were asked to name as many artists as possible, needless to say I did not know any Chicana artists in particular at the time. Coming into this class I had previously taken an art class at my community college about Art History. It is fair to say that I was familiar with a few artists, however, none were Chicanas. Now at the end of the class it feels rewarding to be able to name a few Chicana artists and have some sort of familiarity with these artists and their artwork.

For instance, one of my favorite artists from this quarter was Carolyn Castaño, who I actually
presented on in class, because she displayed a sense of style in her artwork that truly intrigued me and evoked a different approach then many other artists. Carolyn Castaño's artwork demonstrated vibrant, effervescent colors that really made the image pop, while also incorporating geometric imagery as seen in her art piece Electric Yandara.

Throughout the quarter, I have also learned that many Chicana artists are political activists fighting for equality through their artwork. Their art is a platform for them to express their thoughts and justify their ideas. Many artists use their art as a voice to convey an idea or send a message. For example, feminist artist Favianna Rodriguez proclaims a strong message in her art piece Pussy Power.  Through art, I have learned that artists are then able to vocalize their ideals and push towards social and racial justice, similar to Favianna Rodriguez.

It goes without saying that this class clearly opened me up to a whole new world of art. Little did I know that there a plethora of Chicana artists striving to make a change through their art, while simultaneously creating intriguing art. I really enjoyed learning how many Chicana artists recreate stories in their art and interpret it in their own way. I came into this class not knowing one Chicana artist, but I can now fortunately name a few, such as: Esther Hernandez, Carmen Lomas Garza, Yolanda Lopez, Laura Alvarez, Graciela Iturbide, and of course our very own professor Alma Lopez.