Week 5

The presentation given by Ofelia Esparza was interesting because it shed light to the creativity that goes into making the details that are in an altar. One of the biggest things think that stood out to me from the presentation was how the speaker was not a highly trained artist when she started doing art. The craft had come from her grandmother and great grandmother. I thought this was really special because many times people get caught up with not having proper instruction on art, but the beauty of art is it is free of any boundaries. I think art is an expression of someone onto many different mediums. There have been many artist to come out without having a lot of formal experience in art that have created their own interpretations and expressed what they have on their mind. It is interesting to see the process the artist took in creating her big pieces. It wasn't right away that she started creating her art pieces but it was through the process of growth and practice. I think the themes of family in her work were very beautiful because it shows the significance and influence that her family had through her art installations of altares. I was also amazed by the recognition she has had throughout her years and how now she is an expert at what she does and is able to influence and inspire others who do similar work. When she spoke on her influence in the film Coco I was glad to see that our culture was able to be seen in the big screen and inspire others through the work of Ofelia Esparza. I think it is very important to speak to those who are knowledgeable in the culture and craft to stay true and be respectful of ones culture when looking into making a film, because it influences many and it would be wrong to misinterpret someone else's culture.