Mural wrap up for 2017...

We want to wish everyone a happy 2018! We've been a bit off the radar trying to reboot and plan for the future. We look forward to continuing the rebuild of E7S at our new space (which we plan to announce soon!)

2017 went by quickly and we are honored to have worked with so many talented artist to create commissioned work and added over 20 new murals to San Jose!

Post POW! WOW! San Jose, we didn't blog much but wanted to make sure we included the last 4 murals we did. Thank you for your continued support and keep following us on social media as we venture into 2018!

BUNNIE REISS for the Federal Building in Downtown San Jose

Bunnie's work is heavily influenced by her Eastern European background, with its tradition of folk art, bright colors and community engagement. Her brightly colored folk murals decorate many countries and can be found all over the world such as Los Angeles, Mexico, Italy, Paris, India, Philippines, Detroit, Milwaukee, New York, San Francisco and now San Jose!

Thank you SJ Downtown Association for making this happen!

Two new murals for the Children's Discover Museum by Jaque Fragua and El Mac

We were approached to create a new mural for the Children's Discovery Museum's (CDM) portico and thought artist Jaque Fragua was a perfect fit. While we were working on the details for this, the San Jose Museum of Art (SJMA) reached out to us to help find a ideal wall for El Mac as he was planning to paint a new mural in San Jose in conjunction with The Propeller Group exhibit opening at the SJMA.

E7S strives to help community building and bring together organizations to collaborate on a larger vision for our City. It was serendipitous when we brought together Jaque Fragua and El Mac since not only are they old buddies but they have worked on projects together in the past. Their completed murals at the CDM not only reactivated the portico but helped unify the whole space with the museum's beautiful architecture building by Richardo Legorreta.

Jaque Fragua of the Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico transformed the Children Discovery Museum’s massive portico with bright/bold symbols inspired from the community’s input. He created the iconographic motifs based on design ideas submitted by the 50 Rocketship Alma Academy 2nd – 5th grade students, EY corporate volunteers, and museum staff. “I'm using a method called stylization, which breaks down natural imagery into bold iconographic motifs. This has been a technique used by Pueblo artists for centuries and can be found on pottery, murals, and textiles. It has made visual language more direct and impactful for the viewer. I'm also inspired by Alexander Girard's folk art designs.” Jaque’s personal work experiments with various mediums such as aerosol, found-objects, earthworks, poetry, music, messages of civil unrest, social justice, emotional introspection, and personal healing.

EL Mac, who is an artistic historian in his own right, captures the influence of culture within his work. He transformed the exterior of the portico with a portrait of Sophie Cruz. Sophie (born 2009 or 2010) is an American activist. Her parents, Raul and Zoyla Cruz, are undocumented immigrants from the state of Oaxaca in Mexico. Her fears that her parents could face deportation have made her one of the youngest voices in the American immigration reform movement of 2016–2017. (via web). This mural was made possible by a collaboration with the San Jose Museum of Art and The Propeller Group (photograph by @ericheights)

A special "thank you" to the SJMA, CDM, and OCA for helping make this a seamless partnership!

New OPSKI mural with TASC youth in Downtown San Jose

We had the please working again with TASC (Teaching Adolescents Skills for the Community). They brought out a group of youth over a weekend to help paint a fence that was getting constantly vandalized. Artist OPSKI had worked with this group of youth earlier in 2017 and this was another opportunity around the corner from the first mural.

Thank you for SVCreates and the Santa Clara County department for making this happen! We look forward to continuing this partnership working with TASC!

Aaron De La Cruz new mural celebration this Saturday, December 2 in the Mayfair District

Capture.JPG

On Saturday, December 2nd community leaders and residents of East San Jose’s Mayfair neighborhood will celebrate the creation of a new mural by acclaimed visual artist Aaron De La Cruz.

The event will take place from 11:00 am to12:30 pm, to commemorate the Zona Rosa mural, The School of Arts and Culture at MHP will host a celebration and ceremony featuring free food, coffee, and entertainment.

De La Cruz’s new Zona Rosa mural was commissioned through a partnership between The School of Arts and Culture at MHP’s Celebrate Mayfair Project and POW! WOW! San Jose. The Celebrate Mayfair Project is a creative placemaking an initiative funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the James Irvine Foundation.

Lead artist, Aaron De La Cruz, noted the historical inspiration for the mural, “The color usage was to also pay homage to the neighborhood and especially to the Pink Elephant district. This shopping district has a ton of historical importance and the people all over San Jose made that clear to me with the stories they shared.”

The mural celebration will feature remarks by Vice Mayor Magdalena Carrasco, the Executive Director of the School of Arts and Culture at MHP, Tamara Alvarado, and other community leaders. Hip Hop dance group FutureArtsNow! and DJ Ozzy will perform throughout the celebration.   


The Zona Rosa mural was painted during the week-long San Jose POW! WOW! Mural festival, which saw the creation of 16 new murals across the city. One of the goals of the Celebrate Mayfair Project is to beautify the community surrounding the Mexican Heritage Plaza. The Zona Rosa mural was commissioned with grant support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the James Irvine Foundation.

 

Jaque Fragua tonight at MACLA....

Jaque Fragua @warchildleftbehind will be part of a group show at MACLA @macla_sanjose tonight (Dec 1)

“Notes on Democracy” explores the depths of political discourse, process and the ideology of democracy.

Exhibit opens at 7pm. Artist talk at 7:30pm

 

Post POW! WOW! San Jose

We would like to thank all our amazing artists for dedicating their time and talents to add their touch of creativity and abundant soul within our city walls. Our community witnessed the transformation of our public spaces by these artists, shaping lines and layering colors to manifest the masterpieces that were once only visible to these creators. Each day saw progression in the narratives told to us by their hands, and each day we were able to find a piece of ourselves within these murals. All who were actively or accidentally looking for it, whether it is through social interaction, or through the visceral nature of art, found some form of connection adorning every inch and corner of downtown San Jose.  These gifts of color, imagination, and poetry are here to uplift and remind us that we may be bounded by our human limitations, but it does not mean our minds should adhere to those same restrictions.

We would like to thank our team and the many volunteers for making this inaugural year a success. Because of your love and passion for arts and culture we were able to make this event happen. Through the photos, videos, events, and the shuttling of artists, supplies, and food around our city, your dedication shined brightly during those times we needed you most. We would not have a POW! WOW! San Jose without your self-sacrifice and enthusiasm carrying us through each day.

We would like to thank all our sponsors and supporters for helping to make this week-long festival a reality for our city! Because of your time, energy, and donations we were able to supply our artists and team with the necessary tools to manifest these beautiful murals in and around our downtown into reality. From the scissor lifts, paints, coffee, food, printers, shops, and endless encouragement that found us with each and every individual, our efforts stood on the foundation you helped us build.

Lastly, we want to say thank you to our city, to the many communities sprinkled around the world that have supported this event, this movement since it was announced. Because each and every one of you decided to be involved with in this festival with your social media capital and physical presence at our events, this celebration is also yours to behold and take pride in. We did not organize this festival for our own mere enjoyment. This was for all of us to take part in and claim for ourselves.  

Expect many new projects and events leading up to our second year. But until then, revisit these walls and share their beauty with your world. Full images of the completed murals will be on the website soon (www.powwowsanjose.com) Remember to follow us on Instagram (@powwowsanjose) and tag us in any of your shots! We would love to see them! 

POW! WOW! San Jose team

The Propeller Group and El Mac

IMG_E4493[2].JPG

Good afternoon!

For the last year, we’ve been looking for a new home to rebuild our gallery and using the time to prepare for the future. We also joined a multicultural arts leadership institute to help elevate the craft that has helped build a movement for our own art scene. Through our difficult times, we’ve received so much support and are forever grateful.

We are also thankful for institutions like the San Jose Museum of Art (SJMA) and Children’s Discovery Museum (CDM) who have reached out to us.

Lauren Dickens (Curator at the SJMA) has an amazing exhibit coming to San Jose, on October 27th, with the Propeller Group. This collective of artists travel globally to showcase and activate several local partnerships in order to take the exhibit out to the public.

The SJMA partnered with E7S to become their location scout and project manager for this new mural. While working on another project with the CDM, E7S wanted to bring together two long time established community entities for this exciting project.

El Mac is someone who highlights everyday people and in some cases iconic figures. This monumental piece will face San Carlos.

Thanks to the Public Arts Commission’s approval of the project, we will have our own El Mac piece in San Jose.

Our friends have done their part writing grants and calling a local public art curator to collaborate. It’s been a privilege to serve both institutions and they have served us.

Now you can do your part. If you would like to donate and share this cause, visit

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sjma/san-jose-museum-of-art-x-the-propeller-group

#ElMac #ThePropellerGroup #SJMA #CDM #communities E7S @mac_arte @the_propeller_group @seewhatyouthink @purplemuseum

SAVE THE DATE - Pow! Wow! San Jose this October!

announcement-card-powwowsj-3.jpg

We are proud to announce that the internationally renowned POW! WOW! arts festival will be making its way to the city of San Jose this October 2017!

After many months of networking and planning, we are ready to bring this celebrated institution to our beloved community, adding to the growing roster of cities, countries, and entities that have participated thus far: Hawaii, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Taiwan, Antelope Valley, Long Beach, SXSW, Washington D.C., Worcester, and now San Jose.

There will be more updates and announcements about our schedule of events, partners and sponsors in the weeks to come, so please stay up to date with us on our social media portals: Facebook (@powwowsanjose), Instagram (@powwowsanjose), Twitter (@powwowsanjose), and on our website, www.powwowsanjose.com.

 

#powwowsanjose #PWSJ17

 

"Here & There" works by Sam Rodriguez on view until August 31

Original artworks and giclee prints on velvet fine art paper available!

Come check out the exhibit and take a short walk one block away to visit the new mural on 8th and Empire Street (prints available of the new mural!). 

Gallery hours:
Tuesday - Friday: 12-6pm
Saturday: 12-4pm
and by appointment

About the artist and his work:
Sam Rodriguez is an artist based out of San José, CA and have been fortunate to have had shown his work in public art spaces, museums, companies, galleries, internet, and editorial publications. For a number of years he was self-taught through the graffiti scene, until he later decided to expand his studies by pursuing a Bachelor in Fine Arts from California College of the Arts.  He has since blended what he absorbed from both experiences to create his current style.  At the moment, he is interested in two types of portraiture that he calls, "Topographical Portraiture" and "Type Faces".  Topographical Portraits, are made by stylizing a portrait with topographical lines and shapes in a similar manner to those found through images on geographic maps. Type Faces, incorporate typography and portraiture. He developed these through countless studio sessions, to use as a platform for his interest in social, historic, and cultural hybridity.

_________________________________________________

NOTE FROM E7S: 
Our original moving date was delayed and we are still actively pushing our Go Fund Me campaign as we will have to move this fall. Significant funds are still needed to maintain the E7S mission and secure a permanent artists’ space. Please help spread the word https://www.gofundme.com/save-empire-seven

2.jpg
3.jpg
4.jpg

SAVE THE DATE: August 11 - "Here & There" - Sam Rodriguez Mural Unveiling and Art Exhibit

Sam Rodriguez.jpg

Likening the murals to journalism, Artist Sam Rodriquez says, “When I think of murals, I think of outdoor books. This recent wall marks the first of many that I plan to do, which would depict the cultural landscape of San Jose through observations and interviews of its residents. This will result in pieces that could only be found in San Jose.” 

Rodriquez was assisted in the execution of the wall by community volunteers, which freed up Rodriquez to focus on the portraits and more technical aspects of the mural. “A lot of the people who helped out cared as much, if not more, about the painting than I did,” the artist says. “They held up the standards as I would for my own paintings.” Some of the youth involved in an intervention program (Teaching Adolescents Skills in the Community), who worked on the mural, came back after the mural was finished and proudly showed family members their work.

Friday, August 11 from 7:00-10:00pm, come celebrate the City of San Jose with the unveiling of its latest mural! Additionally, we will be featuring a solo exhibit of Sam's work within our gallery space!

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
7:00 – 7:30pm: Mural viewing and artist talk at the wall located on Kiem Laundromat (8th & Empire Street, one block from E7S)

7:30-10:00pm Celebration and Art Exhibit at Empire Seven Studios, 525 N 7th Street, San Jose, CA

Blvd Bombs - Lowriders
Music by Akro1 & Ambitious Outsider
El Taco Loco food truck
_________________________________________________

NOTE FROM E7S: 
Our original moving date was delayed and we are still actively pushing our Go Fund Me campaign as we will have to move this fall. Significant funds are still needed to maintain the E7S mission and secure a permanent artists’ space. Please help spread the word https://www.gofundme.com/save-empire-seven

 

Jtown Artwalk kicks off this Friday!

Stop by any of the listed participating spaces to pick up your walking map brochure!

A special thank you to:

NGNF for granting us funds to create this map for the Artwalk!
Rasteroids for working on the design and logistic elements!
Genevieve Santos for the cute characters she created!

New exhibit by Sam Rodriguez in SF's Mission District

So many San Jose locals went up to show their support last Saturday evening for "Typefaces: Caras de la Mision. A Visual Salute to La Mision" new works by Sam Rodriguez @samrodriguezartat the Juan R. Fuentes Gallery in SF's Mission District.

Phenomenal new work based on the portraits of the people, places and flavors of La Mision. Exhibit runs until July 28.

Afterwards, we walked around to see places/some murals of the Mission and eat delicious foods!

#SamRodriguez #Typefaces

New mural in Northside neighborhood of San Jose

.New Mural by @ohhpeeskee 15th st. & St. John, San Jose California, in collaboration with #EmpireSevenStudios @svcreates A total of 10 days to complete the mural. Four out of the 10 days, we worked with the youth to help teach them the process of making zines, the business of art and working together as a team to help us on this project.

"The idea of this mural is to tie in significant elements of San Jose’s innovative and rich history in agriculture and technology.

Working in the grocery industry, I’ve tooken a keen liking towards manufacturing labels, logos, fonts and characters. Through these likings I’ve chosen specific designs that intertwine the agriculture offerings most harvested in the San Jose region and the often overlooked art of produce packaging. With inspirations including typography and vibrant color ways I’ve incorporated American labor leader and civil rights activist Cesar Chavez, a historic icon to not only our community but to the farming industry all together.

The canvas of this mural holds a great deal in history itself. Temple Laundry was the original business before its vicinity became occupied by IBM , International Business Machines, most notable for its contributions to science, NASA, the U.S. government and the early rise of the tech industry.

All things considered, I hope this mural will serve as a positive memorial to the sacrifes made by leaders in the nations farming industry and innovators of the technological uprising. Iconic forces of opposite spectrums whose accomplishments from hard work and dedication still echo in our everyday lives." -Op

Photo by @keptabsorbed

D3 Decides! Cast in your votes! Deadline is May 31!

Participatory Budget will impact the community you live in. Ideas can stretch as far as building a bench in an area that needs it to even acquiring a community center for your location. The idea needs to be a permanent placement where it doesn’t need funding throughout the years. Need a stop sign? No problem! Need speed bumps to fight against fast drivers? You got it! This is the time where anyone mentioned in the requirements can vote. Your fellow neighbors have submitted what they believe is needed within the community. Now it is the time to take matters into your own hands and see what the possibilities can be.

You may ask yourself: “Why bother?, my vote doesn’t count?”, when in reality it certainly does! You have the option of picking 6 different ideas. Even though ideas were already submitted, it is within the power of the community as a whole that makes the final decisions of what is being implemented.

Vote now! http://d3decides.com/vote-2/

Murals along the Napa Valley Wine Train.....

We made a visit to Napa, CA this past weekend to check out the new murals curated by Thinkspace Gallery out of Culver City, CA.  Along the Napa Valley Wine Train, there’s a paved trail where these walls are located. It was really cool seeing joggers and cyclists gaze at the wall!

In order below:

Natalia Rak and Bezt @bezt_etam @nataliarakart

Cinta Vidal @cinta_vidal

Felipe Pantone @felipepantone

Curated by @thinkspace_art in collaboration with @radnapa

Joe Miller receives the SV Creates Laureate recognition!

Congrats to Joe Miller @joecompany for being selected as one of this year's, SVLaureates. This program through SVCreates, recognizes exceptional achievement in the arts and contribution to the cultural life of Silicon Valley. . Joe Miller was my typography professor at SJSU back in the 90's. Since then we've become friends and I couldn't be more proud of his many accomplishments as an phenomenal artist! . Photo from left to right: Mark Henderson co-founder of Art Party, Carlos Araujo of E7S and Joe Miller!

Eastridge Mall mural by Aaron De La Cruz

Here is a blog post Aaron De La Cruz recently posted about his experience painting his massive mural in San Jose's Eastridge Mall:
 

"I hope everyone is doing well. I’d like to update you all on what’s going on with my current and recent projects. Rather than sending one long newsletter, I’ll be sending two or three within the next two months. If all goes as planned, I will have a nice surprise ready for the last one.

With that being said, I will start off with my most recent project, completed this past March. It is my largest mural to date and is located at the Eastridge Mall on the southside of San Jose, CA. When this project first came to my attention, I initially had some hesitation as I wondered what the purpose would be for me to do a mural on a location where most people go to shop, and not to look at art.

But I remembered taking trips with my Grandmother to the Fulton Mall (located in Downtown Fresno, CA) back in the mid 1980’s. The exterior of the mall had a water feature that ran through the walkway, connecting all the stores. There were many large scale sculptures and water fountains throughout. At the time, I didn’t pay attention to the artwork I was being exposed to, but it did capture my attention.

What I’m trying to get at is, I recently found out that one of those sculptures was created by artist Pierre Auguste Renoir and is the only one in the world that the public can actually touch. Click here to see the sculpture. I liked the idea that this work of art that some would consider inaccessible, was placed where some people could care less about it. I then started to think about all of the large public art pieces I was exposed to as a youth and how I remember thinking, “How could a person create something of that scale with their hands?”.

I happily accepted the offer, and here is the result."

Eastridge Mall new murals

A couple weeks ago, 4 new murals were completed for the Eastridge Mall mural project. We went to visit the in progress of all the murals and had time to catch up with our friend, Aaron De La Cruz. Aaron, one of the participating artists created a massive mural on the AMC parking lot. On the last day of his mural, we helped him promote a scavenger hunt to find 3 prints he was giving away. We gave clues out within Eastridge Mall and people had to come and find the hidden print. It was fun and got people to visit the mall!

Brendan Monroe, Cyrcle and Lila Gemellos were the other amazing artists who created large scale murals throughout the mall exterior.

#eastridgemallmurals #sanjosemurals