An American Mosaic

Hadi Aghaee

Hadi Aghaee, a pen/pencil artist at young age, had a break from art for over 33 years before returning to it again in 2014. After experimenting with various mediums, styles and subjects he settled down with Acrylic medium and a semi realistic style. With the state of the world we live in, his artistic values matured quickly to represent his personal values and found his calling and obligation to use his art to bring attention to social issues and the current state of humanity/inhumanity. Since then, he has created a collection of diverse and thought provoking works, actively participated in exhibitions and art shows and has earned multiple awards. He researches his subject of interest and creates a piece emphasizing message without worrying about the judgments the work may receive.

www.hadiaghaeefineart.com | @hadiaghaeefineart

Susan Harding

I’m Susan Harding, a lifestyle family photographer. My series, Covid’s End is a story of survival and community; a story of us. It began with a conversation about the positive outcomes of living during a pandemic. When the first order of quarantine came over the news, I, like many people, felt fear and anxiety. As the apprehension subsided, my focus shifted from social detachment to community inclusion. I forged connections both within myself and with other people—not in spite of, but because of the
pandemic.

www.susanharding.photography | @susan_harding_artographer

Matty Heimgartner

Matty Heimgartner is a California artist and writer whose surreal paintings and personal essays tend toward the introspective and reflective. Heimgartner often participates in art shows around the San Francisco Bay Area, and his art has been featured in the magazines CreativPaper, Beyond Words, Content, and Artist Portfolio. His nonfiction appears in Reed Magazine, Thanks Hun, The Romp, and Beyond Queer Words. Matty holds a BA in art and is currently earning an MFA in creative writing.

mattyheimgartner.com | @fabulousmatty

Rupy Kaloti

The origin of the word home comes from the Old English word hām which means village or dwelling. While I used to believe home was a place to lie down and rest, I now understand it is where I feel my connection to life the most. My body of work centers on this idea. As a child I grew up splitting my time between the suburbs of San José and my grandparent’s farm in Punjab, India. I grew up in two different worlds both visually and socially.

@eyebeonit

Miguel Machuca

I was born and raised in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. After the death of my father, my family and I moved to the U.S. in 1987, when I was 8 years old. Ever since I can remember, I have always been an artist. I have been currently working with charcoal since 2013. “Unity” was first place winner of Cinequest 2016 art competition in San José. These two pieces displayed are a part of a bigger series that was in my solo exhibition at the Triton Museum of Art in Santa Clara in 2018. My influences are eclectic: ancient cultures, elder’s wisdom and mysticism combined with elements and ideas embodied in global street culture. It is the voice of the old soul speaking with the language of today. I have established myself as a seasoned painter, a visual artist, a technician, but most of all as a student sharing with my community.
@artemachuca33

Rayos Magos

I identify as a Latinx/Chicano male, mixed-media artist born and raised in San José. My body of work focuses on symbolism, healing, spirituality, psychology, and social justice. My background is in counseling psychology with a specialization in expressive arts therapy. I use art to explore personal narratives and universal themes. I create between mediums such as collage, printmaking, painting, and sculpture. Each medium brings out certain aspects of my psyche, while mixing all the mediums integrates these aspects of my personality and create in a liberating way.

@rayos_magos

Luis Jorge Mieses

Luis Mieses as an Industrial Engineer used to travel to the Amazon, where he got the chance to do taxidermy. It became a big hobby for him and through it he discovered the fascinating world of sculpture. Since his move to California in 2001, Mieses has devoted his time to taxidermy, sculpture and life casting, capturing sections of the human body. Mieses is a distinguished professional in the preparation of life-size, life casting sculptures in the bay area. I started modeling clay, wood carving and preparing molds for taxidermy. Then I fell in love with sculpture, which ultimately lead me to life casting. Currently, I’m reproducing human body parts in a variety of postures. Through this work I can document and create beautiful memories for different purposes. When I’m working, it represents intimate time with myself, I find peace and relax.

@miesesartstudiomiesesartstudio.com

Lourdes Morante-Mieses

Lourdes Morante-Mieses is a visual artist, free-lance curator and educator. Born in Lima, Perú, she was drawn to art since childhood, having left a number of works in her country. Since her move to California in 2000, she has been immersed in the Bay Area art world. Mrs. Morante-Mieses holds a bachelor’s degree in Radio, TV, Film and Theater from San José State University and an Associate degree in Studio Art from Foothill College, California. When I paint, I relate my work to my life experience. I use art as an outlet to express myself, as a place where I can empty my feelings and share the vision I have of the world around me. I am particularly interested in the relationship between people and the environment. I think that it is imperative for the world to pay their respect to Mother Earth and to each other.

@miesesartstudiomiesesartstudio.com

Eddie Ramirez

Eddie Ramirez is an artist and teacher who has lived in San Jose, California, for his entire life. Showing his talents at an early age, he excelled in the arts in both high school and college. Never wanting to be confined to one style, his art explores a wide range of styles and mediums. His main area of expertise is acrylic painting and his focus is on urban landscapes.

@eddieramirezish

Elba Raquel

My freelance work is recognized by my bright colors and rhythmic compositions that I describe as “fantastic realism.” In my current professional work I have been exploring the idea of using black and white figures to portray physical realism juxtaposed with bright color as a way to depict symbolic narratives that illuminate a deeper understanding of the desaturated figure being represented. The interwoven sections of unsaturated and saturated color both indulge the viewer in the nostalgia of the past and the ever changing future, creating a flow of present energy that needs to both remember its roots while daring to dream big.

@theelbaraquel

Jada Wong

The series “The Power of Community” created by queer Asian American artist Jada Wong, is based off her experiences with the community in San José. She believes that people supporting each other is the best way to uplift individuals and the community as a whole.

@jadawongg

Ruthie K. Yamada

San José based painter, Ruthie K. Yamada, has been focused on honing her skills in contemporary realism since 2017. She works primarily in oils and watercolor out of her studio in downtown San José. In 2018, Ruthie created the Parallel Universe series inspired by her love of Rorschach. She references 60s/70s fashion, eras that influenced her when she worked in the fashion industry in the early 90s. Her paintings are surrealistic images merging together or apart, they represent past & present, vintage & contemporary. This body of work continues to evolve. Ruthie shows her work regularly in group exhibits around the Bay Area. A notable highlight was “The de Young Open” at the de Young Museum, San Francisco 2020.

www.ruthiekyamada.com | @rkyamada_studio