Artists celebrate their cultural heritage

Artists Celebrate their
Cultural Heritage

by Iriany Sánchez

Hispanic Heritage Month
Art Exhibit

Tool Room Gallery

September 15th – October 15th

Bell Arts Factory and Hispanic Artists from our community come together to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and celebrate their cultural heritage.

The celebration of Hispanic heritage begins on September 15 as five countries in Latin America celebrate their independence on this day. The countries are Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico celebrates its independence on September 16 and Chile on September 18.

Every year the United States celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month. The month of Hispanic Heritage begins on September 15 and ends on October 15. This month is to first celebrate Hispanic heritage and celebrate all the accomplishments of Hispanics in this country.

The Hispanic celebration began in 1968 when United States President Lyndon B. Johnson proclaimed a week in September as Hispanic Week. In 1988 the week became a month.

During Hispanic Heritage Month, the country of the United States celebrates the Hispanics who helped make this country what it is today. Whether you are a journalist, actor, singer, astronaut, scientist or businessman all contributed to the development of this country. It is immigrants who built this country. Among these immigrants there are many Hispanics who come here with dreams for a better future and a desire to work to achieve it. It is these Hispanics for whom we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.

Juan Cervantes, one of the artists participating in our celebration and art exhibit states:

In America everyone is from somewhere else and with that comes culture, customs, and heritage. Everyone has ancestors who came here for a better life just like the most recent immigrants and world travelers. The MY AMERICA series deals with the idea that America is made up of different cultures and people. From Mexico to South Korea to South Africa. It meshes the idea that America is a country where diversity and citizenship go hand in hand and one could not exist without the other. By mixing and combining the flags from other countries into the MY AMERICA typography it challenges the viewer to question their own culture, origins and background or family heritage and lineage. How far back do you go till you meet up with your original country or countries?

The My America project will continue to spark conversations of inclusion and citizenship that no wall can keep out.

America is made up of everyone.

This month we are going to celebrate all of them who crossed all obstacles and barriers to teach us that with enthusiasm and work everything is possible.

We will celebrate our deep cultural mosaic and how it is reflected in our art. Pedro de la Cruz, another artists also participating in our exhibit, reflects a deep cultural mosaic which began with his parents who were born in two very different parts of Mexico — Sonora and Jalisco. Born in Baja California, Pedro remembers selling popsicles in the streets to get by. Still, Pedro remembers being the best at drawing in his class throughout his early school years — and that art was a sanctuary especially during tough times. In the 1980s, the de la Cruz family moved to the United States and later settled in Santa Barbara. As he became fluent in English, even as an introvert, Pedro found that art was the best way for him to communicate, be accepted by others and open doors to opportunity. His uncle commissioned his first piece while still in high school and this belief and support in him kept Pedro painting and drawing through college and beyond.

We are going to celebrate the cultural heritage that has the most flavor of all and the most color of all. We are going to celebrate our people and ourselves. We celebrate all of the artists and their contributions to our community.

Below are only a few images of the artists creations from current exhibit at the

Tool Room Gallery