Santa Ana Community Artist(A) Coalition
The mission of the Santa Ana Community Artist(a) Coalition is to connect local artists to their communities in a collaborative process to create art that transforms public spaces, generates civic engagement, and promotes personal and social change.
The Coalition is a grassroots collaborative effort which came together in June of 2013 specifically for the purpose of creating community-based, community-driven mural arts projects in the City of Santa Ana. The Coalition was convened and is supported by many organizational partners, who each bring a range and depth of specialized knowledge and core programming experience to socially engaged mural art projects.
Throughout the leadership of the Santa Ana Community Artist(a) Coalition, over 1800 surveys have been conducted between artists and residents, that is actually 1800 direct conversations between project participants about the possibilities of what the walls of their city could look like and represent.
We strive to create structures for broad and meaningful participation in all mural projects. Artists contribute to propelling the project in a variety of ways, each role as important as the next: mentorship for young artists, focusing most resources from donors and investors, and volunteers providing creative ideas, input, time and effort fulfilling and facilitating the project’s execution.
Alicia is a Co-founder and current director of the Santa Ana Artist(a) Coalition.
Murals
Madre Naturaleza/Mother Nature Community Mural 2013
20 ft x 30 ft
Downtown Santa Ana 19 N. Broadway
(Behind Retail shop facing parking lot On Sycamore St and Fifth St.)
Lead Artists: Moises Camacho (Art Director), Kimberly
Duran, Elizabeth Cardenas, Stacey Patino and Chilo Te.
The Madre Naturaleza community mural was the first project the Coalition completed. This mural had three organizational partners, The Gran Project, MC Gallery and Workshop for Community arts. In addition to these organizational partners, the Coalition involved many community leaders, arts administrators, students, educators, local artists and non‐artists alike. Over 300 participants from many different backgrounds, all worked together to make art and transform this public space.
VIVA Santa Ana Community Mural 2016
60 ft x 30 ft (4 Walls)
Downtown Santa Ana (Art Alley located behind La Cuatro in between Main and Bush)
Lead Artists: Alicia Rojas (Project Director), Moises Camacho (Art Director), Roger Eyes, Briyana Negrette, Cynthia Bustos, James Rocha, Abram Moya (Mentor), Teo Reyes (Operations Director), Debra Russell and Familia (Santanera, Youth Coordinator, Arts Advocate, Educator).
The VIVA Santa Ana Community Mural is an award and grant winner project for the Santa Ana Community Artist(a) Coalition. The mural project spans from February 2015 to September 2015.
First Wall
Inspired by the City’s official flower, the Jacaranda and it’s beautiful purple trees. The flowers were also inspired by the traditional quinceañera dresses that celebrate Mexican‐American culture. The images of the immigrant community of labor workers are real portraits of historical figures from the Lacy neighborhood in the 1930’s. The background of the mountains along with the historical Chinese immigrants that built the railroad in Orange County, Santa Ana had its own Chinatown during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.
Second Wall
Inspired by Santa Ana’s beautiful historical architecture, the symbolic “Paletero/Ice Cream vendor” and the original Festival Plaza that had a carrousel that children of all ages in the community enjoyed for over 20 years, an important symbol of the Mexican‐American and immigrant community of the City of Santa Ana and la Calle Cuatro/ 4th St.
Third Wall
During the 8‐month mural process the Coalition surveyed the community to find inspiration and images that would go on the walls. The conversations that took place between residents and project participants are the words chosen for the mural that represent the most common answers from the residents, visitors and artists alike. We have conducted over 1500 surveys to date that means 1500 conversations between community members and artists about what their city walls could look like!
Fourth Wall
The Son Jarocho dancers kissing represent a regional folk musical style from Mexican Son from Veracruz. It represents a fusion of indigenous Huastecan, Spanish and African elements. Santa Ana’s immigrant community celebrates Son Jarocho throughout festivals, parties and gatherings an important part of keeping the tradition alive.
Comunidad, Vivienda y Cultura Community Mural 2017
8ft x 24ft.
El Centro Cultural De Mexico. 837 N. Ross St.On the back wall of El Centro.
Lead Artists: Alicia Rojas (Project Director), Moises Camacho (Art Director), Roger Eyes, Briyana Negrette, Cynthia Bustos, James Rocha, Abram Moya (Mentor), Teo Reyes (Operations Director), Debra Russell and Familia (Santanera, Youth Coordinator, Arts Advocate, Educator).
The Comunidad, Vivienda y Cultura/Community, Housing and Culture Community mural was a Santa Ana Community Artist(a) Coalition and El Centro Cultural de Mexico project that inspired the community to envision what public community trusts could be used for. The mural was designed and painted by youth in the community that envisioned more affordable housing, open green spaces, community centers and community food gardens.
Purple Reign Community Mural 2017
15ft x 6ft /
Townsend Neighborhood. 2061 W. Monta Vista Ave On Townsend St and W Monta Vista Ave
Lead Artists: Roger Eyes, Moises Camacho, Alicia Rojas.
The Purple Reign community mural was a project collaboration with the organization Love Santa Ana. The Love Santa Ana initiative is to help transform communities by bringing neighbor to neighbor, block to block unity to gather and help facilitate beautification projects, organize events and provide tools to empower people to host community gatherings.
Myrtle St. Community Mural “La Virgencita” 2017
8ft x 30ft
Myrtle Neighborhood - 2210 W. Myrtle St. Santa Ana. Close to Park.
Lead Artists: Moises Camacho,Roger Eyes, Vanessa Gonzalez Briones, Alicia Rojas.
La Virgencita community mural was a project collaboration with the organization Love Santa Ana. The mural was inspired and painted by the love and faith of the adjacent residents in La Virgen de Guadalupe and its powers of love, peace and prosperity for all.
During the duration of this project we had many parents come out of their residences to greet us and participate in the art making process. The community shared many important stories with us about the state of their neighborhood, and how this impacts the use of the adjacent city children’s park next to this wall. The park is usually empty during the broad daylight.
Ándale, Síguele Community Mural 2017
12ft x 8ft
Santa Anita Community Center. 300 S Figueroa St.
Lead Artists: Roger Eyes, Moises Camacho, Alicia Rojas.
The Ándale, Síguele community mural was a project collaboration with the organization Love Santa Ana and the City of Santa Ana. The mural was inspired by the lowrider Chicano community of the adjacent neighborhood. The celebration of this mural included a car show..
Golden West Tower Community Mural 2018
10ft x 12ft
Golden West Tower Affordable Housing for Seniors, Torrance CA
Lead Artists: Alicia Rojas, Roger Eyes, Moises Camacho, Abram Moya, Teo Reyes (Operations Director), Debra Russell and Familia.
The Golden West Tower community mural was a project for the senior residents of the affordable housing unit managed by Vitus, an organization that works towards a future in which all Americans can afford a good home. The senior residents participated in the workshops and inspired the mural concept as well.
Videos
