National Hispanic Heritage Month:
Arte desde el Corazón

Monica Martin (She/Her)

Terraza con vista – Terrace with a view

Monica Martin’s story has always included creativity, and eventually art! From the glorious 64 count box of crayons that she cherished, to making things out of construction paper, glue and her imagination. After raising a family, she had more time to really dive into exploring acrylics and painting on canvas. Monica is a contemporary artist with an emphasis on acrylics and watercolors. Although she was born in Southern California, her Hispanic roots often come through in the use of bold color in her artwork. Her home studio is filled with dozens of tubes of vibrant colors and the sky is the limit! In addition to creating large artwork for galleries, Monica designs greeting cards with her watercolors and has them in local retail stores. To see more about Monica Martin, go to her website monicamartinfineart.com

Gwen Small (She/Her)

Esperanza

Gwen Small began her exploration of digital photography as a means of self-expression. She was inspired to pursue photography as an art form by participating in classes offered by the Museum of Photographic Arts (MOPA) in San Diego, California. Her prize-winning work has been shown in local galleries, as well as art auctions at MOPA and the San Diego Art Institute. She brings fresh eyes to even the most mundane subjects. Abstracts—both urban and natural– are her passion. Currently she is exploring the possibilities of informal portraiture and the use of fantasy color to enhance her photographic vision. After recently completing Nicholas Wilton’s intensive Creative Vision Program, she is exploring other media as well.

Annette Frimtzis (She/Her)

La Campesina

Annette Frimtzis, a retired mechanical engineer, worked for major aerospace corporations and later formed her own software engineering company. She started painting when she was nine years old. A graduate of CCNY she took her first job as an engineer with Curtiss-Wright Aviation, After a thirty year hiatus raising 4 children she started painting again. She is a member of SAG and the Artist Alliance Group.

Rachelle Farber (She/Her)

Let’s Dance

Rachelle is a working artist who enjoys sharing her vision of creativity with the community.

Jose Soto (He/Him)

After Laughter

Jose Soto is a traditional and multimedia artist that has had an interest in art since a young age. He primarily works in managing operations and overseeing the apparel designs and brands operating under California Style Clothing.

Daniel Marquez (He/Him)

De corazón

Daniel’s life as an artist dates back to his adolescence. It was in the late sixties when he began his career in the world of art. He worked as a painter of traditional folklore themes for a souvenir shop and produced oil on black velvet paintings of classic rock n’ roll legends. At the same time he was singing in a band, then after the breakup of the band, he became more focused on his visual art and started to work with airbrush on car murals. His work using this media was well received and gained him recognition and a series of articles in magazines, as well as opportunities to work with some prominent muralists on projects in Los Angeles and other cities. After completing a degree in Commercial Art he worked for the art department of the Herald Examiner Newspaper. His illustrations have been used for movie posters, book covers, and for the music industry.