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Photo by Eduardo Pineda

Joaquin Alejandro Newman was born 1973 in Oakland, and currently lives and paints in his hometown. The son of an artist mother and a scientist father, Joaquin’s mixed heritage of Yaqui, Mexican, and European ancestry has fueled his creative endeavors his entire life. After studying fine art and digital design at Cabrillo College and UC Santa Cruz, Joaquin now works as a painter, muralist, graphic designer, and illustrator. He has taught at the Academy of Art College, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, SF Museum of Modern Art, held workshops at the Oakland Museum of California, and made presentations to many classrooms around the Bay Area. His murals and paintings can be found on many walls and galleries around the Bay Area and the nation. Outside of works related to his mixed indian heritage and explorations of other indigenous nations, recent paintings examine the delicate balance between nature and technology, faith and reason, and the Spirit that exists in all things.

Joaquin was recently lead instructor in a mural series created by the students of Destiny Arts’ Center, with images from indigenous meso-American literature, in conjunction with scientific illustrations of environmental cycles.

As co-creator of the Forrealism Movement, Joaquin showcases his work and that of his collaborators on www.forrealism.com, a portal functioning as a vision for the future of indigenous arts.

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San Juan Diego Rivera
by Joaquin Alejandro Newman

Sean Levon Nash has been living, creating and teaching in San Francisco’s Mission District for the last 10 years. Born in Oakland, he spent much of his youth between East Oakland, Indiana, and Iowa. Of Choctaw, Muskogee Creek, Brulé and Comanche descent, his frequent relocation has afforded him a unique view of current America and it’s effects on mixed Indians. Sean’s interest in pre Columbian linguistics and meso-american glyph decipherment began at UC Davis while studying Studio Art. He continues to apply his mastery of medium to create educational and historically relevant paintings through which he successfully contextualizes ancient indigenous iconography. Currently, he is studying at San Francisco Art Institute, working on a Masters of Fine Art in Painting and Film. Sean gives lectures, assemblies and workshops in a number of subjects, including History, Chicano Studies, and Native American Studies, specializing in colonial history and Indian-White relations. He makes paintings in a range of Native styles, including Northwest Coastal, Southwest, Aztec, Mixtec and Mayan, spanning the West coast. Having stumbled into animation and now film making, he was honored to have his first animated short get recognition at Sundance and other film festivals.

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Grass Goddess painting by
Sean Levon Nash

Jason Barnes
People often ask what type of art work I paint. It is indeed a very difficult question to answer. I've described it at modern Indian art, po-mo Indian art, post-Columbian Indian art, sci-fi Indian art but I suppose it's all those things and more. I've been painting since 1994; mostly in San Francisco but recently I have been living in the southwest to be close to my family and to engage in some fresh adventures. The move from the city to the reservation was indeed difficult but highly rewarding; being close to my family and the naked outdoors has been very inspiring.

I grew up in two separate cultures; Navajo and Atlantic islander. Each way of life seem to have its own perceptions and truths about the world around us; some of which do not mesh so well. This experience has influenced my work as an artist, documenting my exploration of my heritage and modern world. Cultures are resilient and ever-evolving; it is a common language to express an experience on this earth. For cultures to survive and flourish they must evolve and come to terms with world around us.

My purpose in art is singular: collide truth and perception. This means telling the truth in my art and not just "my truth" but perhaps more obscure, neglected or buried truths. Thematically a lot of my subject matter is not strictly based on specific cultural symbols or history; I often imagine Native American culture in the future-tense. "What will Native American culture be in 400 years?", "Are there un-documented spirits?", "Will aliens someday worship the great magnet?

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High Mesa
by Jason Barnes

Evelyn Orantes is currently the Cultural Arts Developer for the Oakland Museum of California. She oversees art school programs for the education department as well as serves as the Project Director of the Days of the Dead annual exhibition and related public programs. Evelyn has devoted the last eight years of her career as a cultural worker advancing community based arts practice, and addressing issues of diversity in the arts. She has participated as a fellow at the Smithsonian Center for Latino Initiatives, where she worked with staff from the National Museum of the American Indian to develop Days of the Dead programming and curriculum.

Ms. Orantes is an altar maker and installation artist. Her work has been shown in venues including the Mission Cultural Center, Triton Museum, The Legion Palace of Fine Arts and the Oakland Museum of California. She has donated her cartoneria pieces to the Chicana Latino Foundation’s art auction and currently serves on board of the Chicana Latina Community.

Ofrenda to Gloria Anzaldúa
by Evelyn Orantes
exhibited at the Legion of Honor, SF
   
 


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