2020 Olsen, Eric: Week 10- Course Reflection

I really really enjoyed being in this course every Friday with Prof. Lopez and learning more about Chicana artists and art in general. Up until this point, my studies have been very science/social science based and being in an art-centered, Chicana- centered space every Friday felt like such a relief. Learning firsthand from important Chicana artists like Prof. Lopez and Ofelia Esparza was a very humbling experience and I still sort of can't believe that that actually happened. This class definitely sparked a return to my own art practice -particularly the stencil and drawing projects- and have shifted how I view myself and my work. I think one of my favorite portions of the class was the presentations at the end because we each got to see and learn about so many different Chicana artists. I really enjoyed the relaxing and visually focused format of the class and how Prof. Lopez taught us a mix of art skills, history, and from firsthand accounts of being a working Chicana artist; I also really appreciated how the class emphasized and centered leanring and examining historical origins of Chicanx/Latinx cutlure especially of queer Chicana artists and pulling apart European influence from stories of La Virgen, Juana Inez de la Cruz, and Malintzin. This class meant a lot to me and I will miss being in it every Friday.