16.3 "Perform" Summer 2024 by Content Magazine

ISSUE 16.3 SUMMER 2024

Silicon Valley’s Innovative and Creative Culture

PERFORM

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FEATURING: Red Rock Open Mic | Xiaoze Xie | Cilker School of Art & Design | The Coterie Den

MADSEN GALLERY J A M E S M O O R E J A R E D M I C H A E L J O N K R A W C Z Y K A N G E L A J O H A L J E F F D O W N I N G O L E G L O B Y K I N N A N C Y I L G A N K I G E L B J O H N C O N T R E R A S S O F I A S H U 3 5 1 M A I N S T L O S A L T O S A P M A D S E N . C O M 6 5 0 - 7 1 4 - 4 8 3 4

C CONTENT ISSUE 16.3 “Perform”

Summer 2024 Cultivator Daniel Garcia Editors Elizabeth Sullivan Samantha Hull, Virginia Graham Danae Stahlnecker, Katie Shiver Esther Young, Katherine Hypes Grace Olivieri Design Morgan Smail

Developer David E. Valdespino Jr. Writers Michelle Rundowitz, Esther Young Nathan Zanon, Troy Ewers Alyssarhaye Graciano, Saira Singh Taran Escobar-Ausman Mighty Mike McGee, Nikoo Parsizadeh Photographers Alex Knowbody, Arabela Espinoza Cyntia Apps, Marietta Asemwota Henri Boulanger, Nicole Perez

Publisher SVCREATES

I have been looking forward to this issue, 16.3, Summer 2024, partly because it has been a rainy winter and spring, but mostly because it is our annual issue that features some aspects of West Valley College’s Cilker School of Art and Design. I look forward to the students we feature who demonstrate the hard work and creativity that is alive in the South Bay, and I look forward to the Pick-Up Party, complete with a fashion show. Also, I am excited to feature the careers of Elizabeth Santana and Aldo Billingslea, long-time contributors to the South Bay theater scene. They have been on my features list for longer than I care to admit. Their stories, combined with the legacy of Diane Hurd, demonstrate the quality and completeness there has been in the South Bay art scene for decades. When you think of the number of lives impacted just by these three, your eyes are opened to the many dedicated individuals that make up the richness of our region. By reading their profiles, the profiles of the launching students, the emerging work of those at The Coterie Den, and the artwork of RC, you will deepen your appreciation for our community and have your palate broadened to match the diversity of our county. Thank you for reading and supporting the creative community with us. Enjoy, Daniel Garcia The Cultivator

IN THIS ISSUE

Carolina Pérez | Aldo Billingslea | SJZ Breakroom | Diane Hurd

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Third Thursdays 6–9 p.m. June 20 • July 18 August 15 • September 19 Circle of Palms Downtown San José

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CONTENT PERFORM 16.3

Summer 2024 San Jose, California Est. 2012

PERFORM 08 SJZ Break Room, Scott Fulton 12 Youth Poet and Activist, Thy Hope Luong 16 Palo Alto Players, Elizabeth Santana 20 Actor/Educator, Aldo Billingslea 24 Performing Artist, Carolina Pérez 28 The Coterie Den, Lucas Millan, Isandro Biaco, Danny Cardona, Wyatt Perkins, Angel Cabebe, & Bryan Reed

Xiaoze Xie, pg. 44

32 Red Rock Coffee Open Mic Night, Ashley Markowicz & Henri Boulanger ART & DESIGN 38 Arts Supporter, Pamela Hornik 44 Artist, Xiaoze Xie 52 Illustrator and Graffiti Artist, RC 58 West Valley College Cilker School of Art and Design 60 Interior Design Professor, Diane Hurd 64 Cilker School Students Joel Hangai Joshua Cruz Shraddha Karalkar 70 Contributors Carolina Pérez, pg. 24

All materials in CONTENT MAGAZINE are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published, broadcast, or modified in any way without the prior written consent of Silicon Valley Creates, or in the case of third party materials, the owner of that content. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of this content. For further information, or to participate in the production or distribution, please contact us at editor@content-magazine.com.

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SJZ BREAK ROOM Making Room for Music in San Jose

estled on the corner of South First and San Carlos, at the edge of San Jose’s SoFA arts district, is a fairly ordinary office building that transforms when the clock strikes five. Entering the office on weekdays, you will see the staples of a nonprofit workplace: overhead fluorescent lighting, cubicles, filing cabinets, and a water cooler. Any time after 5pm, the hum of the water cooler is replaced with sound checks, the fluorescent lights are replaced with projections and mood lighting, and the front desk is converted into a bar. This office-turnedjazz-lounge is the San Jose Jazz (SJZ) Break Room, a 100-person music venue designed and operated by San Jose Jazz that was established in 2020 through a grant from the Knight Foundation. Early COVID-era live streams from SJZ Break Room featured small, socially distanced crowds wearing masks. Today, it is common to be a full house, but the team has continued producing live streams available on the San Jose Jazz YouTube page and projected

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during the show on the 20foot windows facing San Carlos Street. The brainchild of Special Projects Manager Scott Fulton, SJZ Break Room was designed as an intimate setting for audiences to enjoy a variety of jazz-adjacent performances by emerging and established musicians. Recalling his initial vision for the space, Fulton shares, “San Jose Jazz was a 30-year-old organization that never had its own venue.” Born and raised in the South Bay, Scott Fulton has long been interested in music. He recalls seeing a video of Les Claypool, bassist for Bay Area progressive rock group Primus performing at Woodstock ’94, launching his practice as a bass player. Later in life, Fulton pursued music industry studies at California State University, Northridge, while playing bass in a cover band called Seduction and an original project called Balance and the Traveling Sounds. He recalls, “My main source of income was the two bands, but I also had really crappy jobs to just get the rent paid. Balance and the Traveling Sounds’ best and

Written by David E. Valdespino Jr. Portrait Photography by Daniel Garcia Break Room Perfromace Photography by Robert Brinbach sanjosejazz.org Instagram sjzbreakroom sjzboomboxtruck

Scott Fulton

San Jose Jazz Special Projects Manager

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“I know how hard it is to pursue music; I’ve been on the front lines of that, so any little thing that I can do to Mark Guiliana

help young people not give up on that dream and to pursue it with every fiber in their bodies is really exciting, humbling, and my favorite thing to do.”

MAE.SUN

Kassa Overall

Isaiah Sharkey

worst year was 2013. We played at the Java Jazz Fest in Indonesia, were paid for our recording sessions, and then the band completely capitulated. It was serendipitous, though, because my wife got into grad school at San Jose State University right around that time. I was ready to be out of there, but I fondly remember that time.” After returning to San Jose, Fulton retired from performing. He took a job with San Jose Jazz, managing transportation logistics for Summer Fest and working with the youth program. He later took on initiatives such as the San Jose Jazz Boombox truck, a mobile stage providing pop-up concerts. After experiencing the crowded and cutthroat music scene in Los Angeles, Fulton recalls, “Getting back to San Jose felt like a breath of fresh air because this arts community wants to prop each other up.” Fulton pitched the initial layout, sound, and lighting design concepts for SJZ Break Room. His dream of designing a venue stems back to his youth. “As a teenager, I was a projectionist for landmark theaters. I always thought of movie theaters as perfect music venues. I would draw pictures of my ideal venue and include technical elements.” The intimate design of the space, including the absence of a stage, was inspired by Fulton’s time as a musician. “My favorite gigs to play were always house parties. They felt loose, like people could express themselves

-Scott Fulton freely. That was a big part of why there’s no stage, no barriers. You feel like a part of the show when there’s no stage.” When asked about the importance of venues, Fulton shares, “I can’t even stress how important they are. There’s so much talent and creativity in the San Jose music scene, but those people leave to go to New York, Los Angeles, or places where there’s greater opportunity, or they give up, and that’s really sad for me to see. That’s a huge reason we wanted our own venue; it’s just a little way to create one more space.” For 2024, SJZ Break Room has a new mural painted by San Jose’s own Brush House that marks it as a landmark right at the gateway to the SoFA arts district. The venue is also hosting several Summer Fest performances, including acts such as Nikara Warren, Huney Knuckles, Baycoin Beats, Jay Sticks, Nico Segal, and The JuJu Exchange. On his time with San Jose Jazz, Fulton shares, “I just really appreciate that I’ve been given the opportunity to basically live the dream, just the fact that I have this time period in my life where I get to do audio production and raise up the local music scene. I know how hard it is to pursue music; I’ve been on the front lines of that, so any little thing that I can do to help young people not give up on that dream and to pursue it with every fiber in their bodies is really exciting, humbling, and my favorite thing to do.” C

Joel Ross 11

How a 17-year-old poet and youth activist uses her art as a way to process her grief, connect with others, and find beauty in the world around her.

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THY HOPE LUONG “all i truly know is that i am a culmination and a beginning all at once a product of a million wants. and i hope i can strive to grow a seed that has been with me, within me all along.” From “to be longing”

Written by Saira Singh Photography by Arabela Espinoza LinkedIn thy-luong-02128213

THESE ARE THE WORDS that 17-year-old poet Thy Hope Luong read aloud the first time she ever performed poetry. It was her first spoken-word poem, written about her experience with intergenerational trauma and not feeling “Vietnamese enough.” Thy decided to perform the poem at a Vietnamese American Round Table at Brave New Voices, an international poetry festival, in San Francisco. After her performance, Thy looked up and saw her mother crying. That was the moment, Thy recalls, when she began to understand why poetry is so important to her: it has the power to touch people who mean something to her. Thy, who’s name quite literally means “poetry” in Vietnamese, is a high school student in San Jose and is Santa Clara County’s youth poet laureate. Her writing and art have been recognized by the New York Times, YoungArts, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, and various galleries. In addition to being a poet, a critical part of Thy’s identity is as a youth activist. She is the founder and executive president of Learn4Justice, a youth-led outreach program to bridge the educational gap and facilitate cultural exchange among young global change makers; the co-chief of policy at GENup, which pitches bills to California legislators to support student attendance, mental health, equity, and more; the youth commissioner for San Jose’s District 4; and an intern at Harvard Law School, where she 13

Why I Don’t Say I Love You

= = I don’t say I love you because it’s so much easier to say goodnight I don’t say I love you because the words are sugar sweet death and my mouth is accustomed to sourness, wrung shut iron soft I don’t say I love you because then I’d be weak, more of a girl than I ever wanna be, not your American Dream I don’t say I love you because when I was six you taught me to ride a bike pushed me off and I cried, bloody shinned all skinned I don’t say I love you because you wrapped me in gauze, afterwards pillowed me in unspoken prayer, afterwords I don’t say I love you because until I turned seven you hid coins in my ears gazed at our star-spangled ceilings and I asked: why is there a rabbit on the moon? you said: because she threw herself into the flame I don’t say I love you because you are the ultimate arsonist and I, ribs encroaching spring dirt I don’t say I love you because sometimes I hate you Sometimes you hate me too Sometimes you tell me I’m not worth it, or worse, you hurt me and you don’t know it I don’t say I love you because I am the second war you’ve endured and the first living daughter you’ve girled I don’t say I love you because there is genocide splattered on my jeans, now and what is love worth on a battlefield? I don’t say I love you because we’ve got to maintain this fragile peace somehow I don’t say I love you because it might all come rushing out I don’t say I love you because I know any day now you could be gone I don’t say I love you because it’s so much too much not enough inevitable I don’t say I love you say I love you I love you

= = 14 Perform 16.3

researched and tracked rhetoric and campaign strategies of conservative candidates for the 2024 presidential election. Thy’s exposure to poetry started young— her father is also a poet. Although she initially looked down at poetry as a form of expression that was “pretentious and inaccessible,” she has come to view it as a way to deal with and process the world. To Thy, poetry and activism are inextricably linked, two forces that work together to create more meaning. “Art is inherently an act of resistance,” Thy said. “It is useless, and that is the point. There is such beauty in creating something simply for the sake of creating. There is a reason why oppressive regimes crush art during resistance. Both poetry and activism create community and connection, which works against individualist forces like capitalism.” Thy is so passionate about social activism because she recognizes the power of young people’s voices, as well as the potential for their words to be manipulated or misconstrued when they let someone speak on their behalf. Thy points out that the voices of young people are often tokenized, especially for political benefit. She claims, “Our voices deserve equal standing. So many issues affect us, and it is important that we find our way into decision-making spaces.” To Thy, poetry, much like activism, is not an art that needs to be created and performed individually. Her deepest motivation in continuing her art is other youth and the lessons she has learned from her peers. She believes in the power of collaboration as

a way to create new meanings and understandings of the world. One such act of collaboration was a group poem that Thy wrote alongside three other youth poet laureates—Matthew Kim, Sage Cobb, and Emma Zhang—for Santa Clara County’s State of the County Address on January 25, 2024. “If safety is home, / And home is you and me, / I find refuge in you,” they wrote in “Home.” Thy also draws inspiration from Ocean Vuong, a Vietnamese American poet who shares his experiences with queerness, loss, love, and heartbreak in novels such as On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous and poems like “Someday I’ll Love Ocean Vuong.” Similarly to the deep introspection and evaluation of childhood that Ocean explores in these works, Thy’s poetry has explored a loss that occurred before she was born, but that nonetheless left a deep and indelible mark on her family and her place in it—the death of her older sister very soon after she was born. “I think of her often, alive, and wonder what it’d be like to be the younger sibling, to not pave the way. It would have clashed with my independence, I think. Or it would have unraveled me, in the sense that everything I am is premised only by my sister’s death,” Thy writes in her poem “White Lies.” Just as poetry has been a way to connect with, process, and acknowledge her own trauma and pain, poetry is also one of the deepest sources of beauty in Thy’s life. “One thing that I have learned is that creation is so important,” Thy said. “Don’t just consume, create.” C 15

Elizabeth Santana Palo Alto Players Managing Director 16 Perform 16.3

ELIZABETH SANTANA Working in community theater isn’t just about putting on great shows with local artists. It’s about restoring a deficit in the arts ecosystem and leading a worthy career.

Written by Esther Young Photography by Cyntia Apps paplayers.org Instagram paloaltoplayers

few months after graduating from San Jose State University (SJSU) with her BA in theater and creative arts, Elizabeth Santana packed three suitcases and bought a one-way ticket to New York. Three days after landing, she headed to her first audition. “It was like ripping a Band-Aid off,” she recalls, “being there among hundreds of women.” And yet, leaving the audition, she found herself in an elevator with a fellow auditioner who asked if she was new and kindly connected Elizabeth to a much-needed job at a restaurant. Within a week, Elizabeth—born in Mississippi and raised in the little town of Biggs, California—had anchored herself in the big city. Luck is rare in show biz, but when opportunities do emerge, they branch into unpredictable plots. “I had friends that also went to New York, stayed for five months, and said, ‘This is not for me,’ ” she shares. “I have a friend who’s been in show business for 20 years, and he finally made his Broadway debut in his forties,” she adds.

As for Elizabeth, she spent five adventurous years in New York. She performed with regional theaters, summer stock theaters, and aboard cruise ships. And then, she rerouted. “I knew that my life’s work was in the arts,” she says, “but [as a working actress], I had to try so hard to survive that I was sort of losing the joy in the creative process.” Once, she took a role that required her to turn around a show in seven days. There was no time to develop a character, which was her favorite part of acting. “It was just about how fast we could learn it so we could get it on stage,” she remembers. Elizabeth moved with her husband—whom she’d met while in New York—back to his hometown, which was also her first city of dreams: San Jose. Here, she assessed her options. As a student at SJSU, Elizabeth had filled plenty of administrative theater roles. She’d written press releases, planned opening night parties, and handled marketing for Children’s Musical Theater (CMT). She returned to SJSU for her master’s 17

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“At SJSU was where I found myself, but it was also where I found my people.” –Elizabeth Santana

in communications. Then, her career moved from marketing and development for Opera San Jose to leading legal communications for Google. By 2015, when Palo Alto Players needed a development director, she readily stepped in. By now, she carried the layered vantage point of someone who understood multiple pockets of show biz: hustling to get onstage, promoting the show offstage, producing the show side stage, and raising funds to pay everyone along the pipeline. It was clear that what she did for one community theater, she did for the whole ecosystem. “At the end of the day, I see Palo Alto Players creating opportunities for local and emerging artists,” Elizabeth shares, now as the managing director of Players, a role she’s held since 2017. “We’re very close to some amazing regional theaters like TheatreWorks, Berkeley Repertory Theater, and A.C.T. And we can help prepare them for that.” Her own start in the arts testifies to this. Growing up in her mom’s dance studio, Elizabeth was the kid practicing her splits with the students, doing homework in the back, and hearing all the songs her mom was choreographing—including some catchy cabaret numbers she memorized without comprehending. At home, she popped movie musicals into the VCR and sang along. She learned the dance numbers of Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire. But nothing spoke to her like The Wizard of Oz. When Dorothy sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” her own heart swelled with longing for a

world beyond little Biggs, California, where she graduated high school among a class of 40 students. When she finally arrived in that world as a first-year theater major at SJSU, it “was where I found myself, but it was also where I found my people,” she says. Anyone who has found themselves in a community that amplifies their creativity knows that feeling of stepping into a world of color. “I was finally surrounded by people who loved doing everything that I loved,” she remembers. At Palo Alto Players, she witnesses this moment of discovery materialize for people of all ages and careers—from a high school student getting hired to work sound design professionally to a lawyer auditioning for his first show in 20 years and rerouting his mental health journey. The point isn’t to turn everyone toward a career in the arts, but to allow them to discover it. Representation in the historically monocultural institution of American theater requires not only actors, but a diverse pipeline of producers and decision makers behind the casting table. Restoring the major deficit in arts programming requires re-teaching families to value and demand it. Truth be told, the work is cut out for anyone pursuing an arts career. However, Elizabeth says she’s not worried about the future. “When I go to CMT and see two hundred kids singing their hearts out together—that’s our future. Whether those kids go on to be performers or work in high tech, they’re going to remember: ‘I really loved this.’ ” C 19

Aldo Billingsle

Bil

Aldo Billingslea

B Aldo Billing “I love language and storytelling.” -Aldo Billingslea

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llingsle Aldo Billings Aldo o gslea A Lifelong Passion for Performance and Education

Written by

Michelle Rundowitz Photography by

Alex Knowbody

aldobillingslea.com Instagram

aldobillingslea

Aldo Billingslea, a professor of acting and performance studies at Santa Clara University, has spent his career performing on stage and inspiring students to embrace the magic of theater. A member of Actor’s Equity Association and the Screen Actors Guild, Billingslea has appeared in numerous theatrical productions in the Bay Area and across the country, including the works of Shakespeare, Lorraine Hansberry, Eugene O’Neill, Tennessee Williams, Oscar Wilde, and August Wilson. He headed the university’s Office for Diversity and Inclusion as Associate Provost until stepping down in 2016 and currently is a member of the Board of the Institute of Contemporary Art San Jose. He holds a BA in English and communication arts, an MA in secondary education with an emphasis in theater and English, and an MFA in acting. Billingslea’s journey toward live performance began in seventh grade, when a production of Oklahoma! ignited a passion that would shape his future. Billingslea recalls the moment that hooked him: “When [the lead actress] kissed this other guy, and it was a real kiss, and they actually made contact with their lips right in front of us. The place erupted, and I think I did, too.” Enchanted by the idea of becoming someone else on stage and getting a kiss of his own, he auditioned relentlessly, only to face rejection after rejection. It wasn’t until his sophomore year of college that he finally landed a role. The moment he finally made it to the stage, Billingslea knew he had found his calling. A friend told him while preparing for his first play, “When

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u m m o c “‘Community.’ It is my com favorite word in the English lexicon.”

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-Aldo Billingslea

community

community community

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commu mmunity we get out there, the audience will be there, and you can’t see it, but there’s this thing that happens. It’s like they send you energy, and it’s just the best thing ever.” Billingslea discovered that electrifying connection between performer and audience that his friend had alluded to. And his motivation for performing knew no bounds— one year in college when he tried to audition, he was told there were no male roles in the play. Undeterred, he asked if he could audition in drag. Billingslea laughs, “And they kept looking at me, like, ‘What’s wrong with you? No, you can’t even audition!’ ” Billingslea always knew he wanted to teach as well, though teaching performing arts wasn’t his original plan. “At one point I thought…I was going to be a coach,” he says. But as he observed the grueling schedule coaches kept with early mornings and late nights, his interest shifted to English and the arts. “I love language and storytelling,” he says. At first, Billingslea thought he would act for many years before teaching, but from the beginning of his career he found himself splitting time between teaching and performing as he traveled for acting work. Colleges and high schools weren’t the only places he taught at. He recounts a unique teaching opportunity he found while working in Salem, Oregon: “The state prisons are in Salem. And I was like, ‘How do I get to the prison?’ ” He ended up teaching workshops at the women’s prison, an experience he describes as being “unbelievably moving and shifting.” In 1995, Billingslea met his future wife, Renee, whom he married two years later. Soon after

they first met, he got an offer to teach as an adjunct lecturer at Santa Clara University. The university was eager to have him join their staff full-time, but Billingslea needed some convincing to leave full-time acting. Only after receiving four offers with the eventual assurance that he would also be able to perform at the university (and learning that he and Renee were expecting a baby) did he finally accept a full-time position starting in the fall of 1998. Renee is a senior lecturer in the department of art and art history at Santa Clara University as well as a visual artist; together, they are a power couple in the local academic and arts scenes. Regarding their role as educators, Billingslea paraphrases what Renee once told him and has stuck with him ever since: “Our job is to be a bridge, bridges to community, those with access and those without.” Both Billingslea and Renee have made it their mission to find ways to help students and their local community make stronger connections with each other and build greater empathy. When asked what keeps him excited about the university and local area, Billingslea responds with no hesitation: “‘Community.’ It is my favorite word in the English lexicon.” Billingslea’s passion and dedication continues to leave a lasting impact on students and the community. His career serves as a testament to the transformative power of theater and the importance of fostering community and inclusivity in education. Billingslea will be directing a production at City Lights Theater Company called Clyde’s that will run from mid-May through mid-June. C 23

Carolina Pérez 24 Perform 16.3

There hasn’t been a barrier so far that can keep performing artist Carolina Pérez from telling her stories—have stage, will travel.

Carolina Pérez

Written by Mighty Mike McGee Portrait Photography by Arabela Espinoza Performace Photography by Nicole Perez, Cherry Pink Productions caritox.net Instagram carotopia

ou may have seen Carolina Pérez emceeing at La Ofrenda Festival in Gilroy last year or acting with Teatro Visión or puppeteering with El Teatro Campesino. You may have heard her monologues on her abuela, immigrating from Mexico, or coming out to her family. Pérez’s role as the Gilroy Center director for Digital NEST, the one-of-a-kind after-school technology program, is surely facilitated by her theatrical nature. She shared her first stage with her older brother Rafael while performing in their living room back home in Atotonilco El Alto, Mexico. “I think he’s the reason I’m a performer. As kids, we put on shows for the tías and tíos,” she says. A decade later, Pérez’s mother told her they would be moving to the United States, a crushing blow, especially when faced with the risk of crossing the border on foot and the possibility of never returning home. “I crossed when I was 16. I remember thinking, ‘I want to memorize everything, because someday I’m going to tell this story.’ I wanted to bring it into the light in a funny way.” She describes crossing the border by pantomiming running while hum-singing the speedier part of the Super Mario Bros. theme, then adds, “Okay, we’re getting closer to the border! Now we’re at the fence!” Comedy is hard, especially when the subject is serious, but Pérez handles it with heart. Her stage persona vacillates between orator and clown, actor and stand-up comic. “I like telling my stories,” she

explains. “Coming here as an immigrant without paperwork gave me the strength to know who I am. I appreciate the headaches and the ups and downs.” Pérez draws a lot from her namesake, known for her generosity, patience, and respeto. “My grandma had a fonda in Mexico with three burners and three tables. Everyone from teenagers, cops, teachers, and sex workers came for her la carne de puerco y salsa con frijoles,” she says. “It’s where you heard the widest range of community stories.” After arriving in San Jose, Pérez attended James Lick High School, where she found her voice in two languages. In the ’90s, any discussion of undocumented immigration was taboo. “My brother was afraid,” but Pérez couldn’t suppress her stories. “In ESL, I started to talk about it. I felt that leaving Mexico was leaving part of myself there,” she explains. Mrs. Caton was the first teacher to encourage Pérez’s earliest stories. “The way she looked me in the eyes was affirmation.” Mr. Serrano kept his classroom open for the bullied ESL students and compelled them to create their own theater group. She thinks back to her time with both teachers—her eyes tear up as she pauses on the word respeto—Caton and Serrano were the first to offer a safe space where Pérez and her classmates could explore. Soon, the Latino Theatre Group at James Lick was formed, and Pérez took a night job just long 25

“I like telling my stories. Coming here as an immigrant without paperwork gave me the strength to know who I am. I appreciate the headaches and the upside down.”

-Renée Hamilton-McNealy 26 Perform 16.3

enough to buy a video camera so the group could record plays and events. She sold edited tapes of shows, marches, and parties, events that introduced Pérez and her brother to the local Latino LGBTQ community. As queer immigrant performers, Pérez and her brother Rafael support each other. “When we moved here, he discovered drag,” she says, then tells the story of her daughter’s baptism. “While I’m serving guests at the after party, Rafael says to me, ‘Hey, you should take off the dress para que no se en sucio!’ I wondered why it would matter if the dress got dirty. Then he says ‘I need it for tonight,’ and I said, ‘Oh! Okay! Got it.’ Then I went to change.” Her daughter’s baptism was followed by her brother’s presentacion de Betsy. Due to a diagnosis of ataxia, Rafael was forced to retire from performing. He advised his sister, “This is why you need to do what you want to do, while your body can do it.” Pérez took his advice, and her determination has paid off. She has performed in Teatro Visión’s stage production La Muerte Baila three times and workshopped with Clowns Without Borders, along with members of Milagro in Portland. She is in two films this year: The Latina Book Club, written by Josefina López (Real Women Have Curves), and Dos Mujeres by Shankey Srinivasan. Both shorts were shown this year at the Poppy Jasper International Film Festival. For Pérez, joining the local roundtable arts group and working with Digital NEST have aligned things for her in a fantastic way. Since at least 60 percent of Gilroy residents are Spanish speakers, her goal now is one similar to when she was in high school: “To start a theater group en español,” she says. It is her mission to help the city’s underserved youth find their voices. Three decades after leaving home, Pérez returned to Atotonilco El Alto and was relieved to feel as though she had never left. “Growing up in that town, that community, made me who I am,” she says. Pérez reflects with reverence on the past. “[I’m] remembering how hungry I was. Sometimes you get into a moment of comfort; Yes, I have my papers now, but I have to have a good sense of where I was. I ponder that hunger.” C

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Coterie Den Studio A Gym for Creativity

Written by Troy Ewers Photography by Alex Knowbody thecoterieden.com Instagram thecoterieden 169 Jackson Street San Jose, California

he Coterie Den is a multimedia space in Japantown, San Jose, that differs from other studio spaces and venues in the area. It’s a multimedia space that resembles Eric Foreman’s basement from That 70’s Show, a place that’s made for artists to feel comfortable in. “Friendly, welcoming, creative” is how Coterie Den audio engineer Isandro describes it. Down a narrow set of stairs—walls covered in classic album covers—is a multimedia space that includes a recording studio, a sound stage for live performances, a photography studio, and six hungry and talented artists who help keep the creative engine running. The Coterie Den consists of rapper and owner Lucas Millan (aka “L James”), lead audio engineer Isandro Biaco, photographer and videographer Danny Cardona, web and graphic designer Wyatt Perkins, intern audio engineer Angel Cabebe (aka “Mac”), and graphic designer Bryan Reed—six different personalities from various backgrounds with one common goal: to grow themselves and the artists they work with. “Trying to get out of the harsh reality and make our lives better,” Mac says when asked what influences him and the rest of the Den to work hard and make The Coterie Den a hub for San Jose. Each member of the team is unique: Isandro moved to San Jose from the Philippines. Wyatt is a 19-year-old former skater who showed up to Coterie Den and ended up developing their website and now runs the business side. “I see [The Coterie Den] the same as skating: take that risky jump down some stairs, take that risky jump in life. It’s all the same,” Wyatt says. Dan, a gym rat who does CrossFit competitions and creates gym content, joined the team as a photography intern. A year later, he’s done photography for various artists and even some 49ers players. Brian, a former tagger, is now able to produce artwork that provides a legal income through graphic de29

sign. Lastly is Mac, the latest member to join the team as an audio engineer. Bringing people out of their element and networking in a very direct way is a big part of Coterie Den. L James describes it as a “gym feeling,” where artists visit to get their reps in. “If you’re hungry, here’s a real opportunity,” L James says. The space is bookings-based, unless the team has their own projects to work on. Every month, the Den hosts three open mic nights to keep that feeling of repetition going for participating artists. During these nights, an artist can sharpen their tongue in front of other creatives, which can result in a song being made and later recorded at The Coterie Den. Another monthly event hosted by the Den is a thrift and vintage market. These events are intended to bring people to the space and show artists that the Den can be a creative home where similar people are looking for a creative community. In the past, groups in the valley chose to be gatekeepers instead of building with other creatives in the city. The Coterie Den wants to bring a more unselfish vibe to the creative scene in Silicon Valley. “Extending the web” is how the group describes their space. Their location next to Jubo Clothing’s Coldwater store and partnerships with EMLN, SJ Foo’s, Tankshop, among others, is an example of the web they are expanding. Even with their quick rise, they see their growth as a step-by-step process. Even though the Den has every means for an artist to make a project, promote it, and grow their creative business, the crew at Coterie Den is honest enough to say that it’s too early to become a record label or to start managing artists. The Den, as of Danny Cardona right now, is about growing what they have and ensuring good Photography and Videography time management. “The house isn’t built, but we see the foundation and structure from the bricks we put in place.” L James says. “Expansion is on our minds, and it starts with us too, mastering ourselves so that we’ll be able to expand, mastering our own systems,

Wyatt Perkins Web and Graphic Designer

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Bryan Reed Graphic Designer

Isandro Biaco Lead Audio Engineer

“I see The Coterie Den the same as skating: take that risky jump down some stairs, take that risky jump in life. It’s all the same.” -Wyatt Perkins

Lucas Millan (aka “L James”) Co-Owner and Digital Media

mastering the open mics, mastering our thrift markets, mastering our recording services, mastering our photography services—expanding using our systems that we already have put in place.” In 1977, the New York club CBGB was famous for being the home of punk rock. Bands like Blondie, the Ramones, and Sex Pistols didn’t just perform there during the early years, they also bonded and became a family. CBGB is also where Andy Warhol met the Velvet Underground and formed their relationship. For San Jose, The Coterie Den has that same energy, a place where artists can come together and, as L James says, “get their reps in.” The Den is a creative gym where artists can grow and build on top of what already makes them unique. The web they’re expanding doesn’t just stop in San Jose. They look to hopefully have a Den in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York. But until then, the team wants to create the place where people from both inside and outside of San Jose come to sharpen their skills and connect with other artists like them. The Coterie Den is a creative gym growing a new generation of artists. C 31

Open Mic Night

Red Rock Coffee

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How an open mic night in Mountain View that dates back to the ’90s fosters a sense of community, connection, and belonging.

Written by Saira Singh Photography by Henri Boulanger redrockcoffee.com Instagram redrockcoffee redrockopenmic Red Rock Coffee 201 Castro Street Mountain View, California 94041

It was New Year’s Eve, going into 2023, and Graham Rutledge had just moved back to the Bay. He mentioned to a friend that he hoped to meet more people and establish a sense of community post-pandemic and was encouraged to attend an open mic night at Red Rock Coffee, a coffee shop and community space in Mountain View. Graham visited Red Rock the next night and performed two original pieces that depict romantic relationships. To his delight, he found exactly what he had been hoping for—a space that was “welcoming, magical, and had a huge community.” However, it was his second visit two weeks later that particularly engaged him. Graham and his fellow musician and vocalist Ethan Hamshaw—who specializes in acoustic guitar, indie folk music, and drumming—performed an original song together called “Pancakes.” The song explains that anyone who crashes at Graham’s house is welcome to stay for homemade pancakes in the morning—a thinly veiled flirtatious invitation to stay the night. Graham describes, “A few people remember my first time at Red Rock. Everyone remembers my second time there, playing that song. I was known as ‘the pancake guy’ for a while.” Graham has visited Red Rock almost every Monday since his first two visits over a year ago. It has become the staple of his week, and almost all his friends now are also Red Rock regulars. He says, “Red Rock is the most welcoming open mic space I have ever seen. I remember going on stage one night and asking the room to sing along to a song that I had written the week before. Over 50 people, with beautiful voices, joined in. It was so awesome. It felt like being 33

greeted with a wall of support.” To Graham and so many others, Red Rock has become a third place—a place outside of work and home where a person can find community, belonging, and connection. Red Rock’s open mic night had existed as part of the South Bay’s music scene for many years before Graham discovered it, dating all the way back to the ’90s. The open mic night has taken multiple forms, switched owners several times, and gone virtual for over a year in response to the pandemic. In October 2021, it returned to its in-person format. Currently, it is run by Ashley Markowicz (the open mic’s emcee), Henri Boulanger (who runs the sound team), and a team of volunteers who act as stagehands, sound crew, and backup instrumentalists to support other musicians. Both Ashley and Henri got involved with Red Rock as regular attendees of the open mic. “I really view Red Rock as another home,” Ashley says. “I met my close friends here. I met my partner here. My life has expanded so much just from hosting.” Henri adds, “Especially in the Bay, work can take up so much of people’s time and energy. Red Rock seems like a refueling station for people, whether they are coming just to experience art or actually play something.” Fostering such a warm and welcoming environment comes with a lot of work from Ashley and Henri’s end. “If you want to cultivate a positive community that is open to all, it can’t be a free-for-all,” Henri says. They’ve had to learn how to take uncomfortable experiences and turn them into learning moments where people still feel included in the community. As a result, they have clarity on what they want to represent in the space and how to protect it. “We’ve had some really positive conversations with people by staying calm and not assuming ill

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intent,” Henri explains. Ashley adds, “We’ve come to a point where we are able to say this is the kind of space we offer, and it is either for you or not for you.” Henri concludes, “And I feel like this is a space for most people.” Red Rock doesn’t just exist as an emotional or communal space; it is also a physical space located in a large structure in one of the oldest buildings in Mountain View. During the daytime, the bottom floor houses a bustling coffee shop and seating space, while the second story—the facility’s performance space—provides additional seating and a calmer environment for visitors to work, relax, and gently converse. On Monday nights, this dynamic switches diametrically. The first floor is generally empty compared to the second floor, which is so filled that many attendees stand at the back. Local art adorns bright red walls. Lamps and string lights illuminate the area. The stage is constantly taking new forms as the sound crew adjusts to meet the needs of each performance. And much like the stage, the audience itself constantly changes as people roll in and out, change tables, and converse amongst one another during breaks.

“We’re constantly thinking…how do we become more of the center of gravity for culture, for music, for art, for creation?”

Ashley Markowicz and Henri Boulanger Photography by Daniel Garcia 36 36 Perform 16.3

“Red Rock seems like a refueling station for people, whether they are coming just to experience art or actually play something.” -Henri Boulanger

Graham Rutledge

One audience member was Camile Gomes, who attended to support her friend who was performing spoken word poetry. Camile was taken by the mindfulness and supportiveness of the group as well as the diversity of the open mic’s attendees. She shares, “There were so many ages there, from kids to older folks to everyone in between. It was special to see people who might not otherwise gather together meet and share a cup of coffee.” Camile was particularly taken by a performance by Steve Ross, an electronic music producer who performed a melodic techno track called “Perfect Enough” that features the violin. Steve composed the piece after a traumatic loss in his hometown. He felt his sadness, soul-searching, and attempts to make sense of bitter experiences come through in his music. It was his third performance at Red Rock, and he’d decided to perform the piece just two hours before the event began. Steve realized that night that, even when he doesn’t feel ready, he always manages to pull something off that both he and the audience will appreciate and get something out of. For Graham, Ashley, Henri, Camile, and many other attendees who frequent Red Rock, the takeaway is similar: Red Rock is a space where many can enter and leave feeling like they have gained something. C 37

Pamela Hornik

Written by Alyssarhaye Graciano

Teddy

Photography by Daniel Garcia Instagram pamelahornik

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Pamela Hornik JUST A KOOKY DOG LADY WHO LOVES ART.

uggie barks at the sound of the doorbell. “Oh, Auggie, that’s enough,” Pamela Hornik reasons with her dog as she opens the door to her home. “Careful, he nips.” As you walk through the door of Hornik’s home, you’re greeted by two large pink men standing under a staircase, smiling sculptures by Yue Minjun. To your left, there’s a 10-foot-tall Dominique Fung oil painting and, on your right, a wall of faces painted by various artists, including Sasha Gordon and Cayce Zavaglia. “If you look, you can see holes in our walls from when we’ve rotated other pieces. We’re not professionals; we’re just people living with our art. I’m sure others have it more polished, but that’s not us,” Pamela admits. “Us” refers to Pamela and David Hornik, two art lovers with four children, two dogs, and a few hundred works of art.

The Horniks have been collecting art for decades, purchasing works guided by their hearts. Their love for art has grown deeper over the last 15 years since Pamela began volunteering at Stanford’s Cantor Arts Center. She is currently training as a museum engagement guide, focusing on encouraging dialogue about the artworks among patrons. Pamela’s support of the arts is mirrored in her children. Her three sons are each finding their own path as artists and composers. Pamela’s daughter is bilingual and studied human rights with a desire to advocate for marginalized voices. The family’s connection to creativity and innovative problem-solving brings additional significance to the Hornik art collection. For Pamela, art is more than just something to collect; it’s a lifeline during difficult times. She openly discusses the calming effect art has on her anxiety, emphasizing its role in sup-

“The saddest thing for me is art sitting in storage that doesn’t get seen. To me, art should be in the public sphere.” -Pamela Hornik 40 Perform 16.3

TOP: Susan Chen, Purell Tower (detail) BOTTOM: Yue Minjun, Two works: Contemporary Terracotta Warriors No.5, 2003

“The saddest thing for me is art sitting in storage that doesn’t get seen. To me, art should be in the public sphere.” -Pamela Hornik

TOP: Jenna Gribbon, You want me to pose nude (detail) BOTTOM: Pillow art of Teddy and Auggie by Hyla Frank.

porting mental health. “If I’m ever having a hard day, I head over to the museum and just sit with the art. It’s peaceful.” Walking around the house with her companion Auggie in tow, Pamela points out pieces by Susan Chen and Wangari Mathenge, sharing stories about each artist and her enthusiasm for female painters and sculptors. Her journey in art is marked by an evolving collection, personal connections, and a commitment to fostering the creative community. “I’m focused on Bay Area artists and institutions right now, how I can support the artists already in my collection and the institutions supporting those artists.” Self-identifying as a “kooky dog lady that loves art,” Hornik is constantly navigating the world of high-end art with a unique blend of sophistication and heartfelt enthusiasm. Her passion transcends the transactional relationship often associated with high-value pieces. She hopes her collection reflects art’s ability to weave together stories and emotions

that create a deeply rooted appreciation for the human experience, a nuanced tale of how humanity underscores authenticity. While Pamela and her husband David’s tastes have diverged in their years of collecting, they are both emotionally connected to the pieces they own. “When we first started, we were all in, buying from the heart, very impulsively. We own a lot of figurative work that highlights humanity and its various perspectives,” she says. “But lately, I’m drawn to more abstract pieces and text-based work. David is still drawn to figurative works.” Rather than chasing market trends, Pamela’s interests lie in fostering relationships with the artists she collects. “With everything I do, I’m all about relationships,” Pamela shares. “I enjoy going on studio visits with the artists and getting to know them, learning how I can support them.” The Hornik collection often has artwork on loan to museums and galleries.

“I believe in the power of art to change lives. Sometimes a single artwork or an entire exhibition tells a story that can change hearts and minds more than a political speech.” -Pamela Hornik

TOP: Chantal Joffe, Self-Portrait III MIDDLE: Sasha Gordon, Interloper BOTTOM: Sarah Ball, Seyon (detail) 42 Perform 16.3

“The saddest thing for me is art sitting in storage that doesn’t get seen. To me, art should be in the public sphere.” Aware of the privilege that comes with owning original art, Pamela feels a twinge of embarrassment, fearing judgment from critical voices on social media. “The arts need money. Artists need money. But I definitely have had people judge me like, ‘Why are you not giving more to politics?’ Well I believe in the power of art to change lives. Sometimes a single artwork or an entire exhibition tells a story that can change hearts and minds more than a political speech. But, you know, there’s something for everyone.” Pamela is uncomfortable with labels like “philanthropist” and prefers the humble title of “museum volunteer” or

“professional arts supporter.” Pamela is actively involved in various art institutions, serving on the boards of organizations like the ICA San Francisco, the Cantor Arts Center, and the Anderson Collection. Pamela values her volunteer roles more than board memberships, emphasizing the importance of friendships, shared interests, mentorship, and learning opportunities in the art community. Looking ahead, she suggests a possible shift to fewer board positions while maintaining her commitment to volunteer roles. “I like to support young women in the arts, both emerging artists and up-and-coming curators,” she explains. “I can’t help everyone, but if loaning a work from our collection helps bring a show together, why not?” C

TOP: Chantal Joffe, Sally in Fishnets BOTTOM: Wangari Mathenge, Regarding Reverence, Resistance and Respite 43

XIAOZE XIE

rtist Xiaoze Xie is known for his hyperrealistic, large-scale paintings—many of them more than 6,080 square feet–taken from scenes of everyday life, and often depicting images of books: worn, tattered pages, libraries full of dusty tomes, shelves, and stacks of paper. These images are striking in both scale and detail, causing viewers to reflect on our shared humanity, our past and present, and the beauty inherent in things we often overlook. Xie grew up in a rural area in the Guangdong Province of China. He was always interested in art and drawing, often copying illustrations he saw in books. An early inspirational moment stands out to him from childhood: while he and his father visited an artist named Huang Zhi, Xie watched him grab a sketchbook and capture an image of his father in moments, with just a few strokes of the pencil. Zhi suggested Xie try to draw from life rather than copy illustrations. “This was my first, and perhaps the only serious art lesson in my childhood,” Xie recalls. Xie’s initial career path leaned toward architecture, which he studied in Beijing; but soon after he earned his architecture degree, the itch of painting took over, and he changed course. He took a graduate program in art in Beijing before moving to the US, where he earned an MFA at the University of North Texas in 1996. “Most of my paintings are large, realistic, and with a reference to photography,” he says. “Many people who only saw reproduced images of my work often recognized the photographic aspect

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Written by Nathan Zanon Portrait photography by Daniel Garcia Artwork images provided by artist xiaozexie.com Instagram xie.xiaoze

“As an artist, I feel the responsibility to speak to the lived experiences, personal and collective memories, and to become the voice of one’s time.”

Xiaoze Xie 45

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Princeton University Firestone Library (32), 2020, oil on canvas, 60” x 48”

Opposite Page: TOP: Chinese Library No. 75 (Anthology of Su Shi), 2023, oil on linen, 40” x 60” BOTTOM: Musée Guimet (MODERNE), 2023, oil on linen, 40 ”x 60” 47

Porcelain sculptures of pre-modern banned books, each life-size, overall dimensions variable.

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Sarajevo: Ashes of Memory, 2024, acrylic on paper, metal plate, wooden type, 125” x 135 1/4” x 14 1/4”

while overlooking the nuanced painterly treatments, such as the layers of color and texture, and brushwork. A painting is not just an image, it is also an object with a sense of scale, weight and touch, an object that invites our physical involvement.” The large-scale canvases bring visual impact to each of his images, allowing for details and textures that keep the eye lingering on a painting for far longer than it might on the photographs the paintings reference, or on smaller sized works. The result gives what are often ordinary-looking scenes a feeling of importance and power. After experimenting with different subjects for his paintings, books became a frequent part of his works starting in the early 1990s. “I was fascinated by both the potential meanings and forms of the subject,” he says. “For me, books are the material form of something abstract, such as thoughts, memory, and history. Over the years, I have painted Western volumes, Chinese thread-bound books, museum library collections, and eventually newspapers. I see this ongoing body of works as one project growing out of a simple idea.” While exploring these books and libraries, he also became captivated by the topic of banned books—what they mean, the political circumstances around a given book, and what these

Amber of History series, 2023 50 Perform 16.3

Panorama of Eternal Night, 2021, oil on linen, five panels 84” x 66”

bans have meant for our history and collective understanding of the world. His many paintings of books and libraries fed into this fascination. “As I continued to paint books,” he explains, “I was also interested in what people have done to books. I have made installations based on specific historic events of book destruction. All these led to the project on the history of banned books in China. The books in my Chinese Library paintings are all closed and stacked; however, in the photographs of banned books, their pages open for the first time. The pursuit of freedom of expression often comes at a cost, and should not be taken for granted.” All of this speaks to Xie’s interest in using his art to explore the shared history of modern society. “As an artist, I feel the responsibility to speak to the lived experiences, personal and collective memories, and to become the voice of one’s time. The juxtaposition of historical and modern styles, and images from the past and the present have opened new possibilities.” Today, in addition to his wide range of gallery exhibitions, he teaches art at Stanford, where he is not only able to mentor young artists, but also find inspiration in their work and ideas. “I love working with MFA graduate students. It is always exciting to learn about their innovative ideas and watch the development—sometimes radical changes—of their work.” “Looking back, you realize that life is full of dilemmas and detours, and it takes a long time to figure out what you really want to do,” he muses. Ultimately, where Xie has landed is exactly where the artist Huang Zhi pointed him when he was a boy: capturing images from life. He’s done it in large scale, with impeccable detail, and has had the opportunity to share his work with the world. C

From the Amber of History series TOP: Rain of Languages (Buddhist Sutras), 2023, resin, film, mineral color, resin color, light, 8.25” x 8.25” x 9.45” BOTTOM: Splendor of Colors, 2023, resin, film, mineral color, resin color, light, 8.25” x 8.25” x 9.45” 51

Illustrator and Graffiti Artist RC 52 Perform 16.3

Written by Taran Escobar-Ausman Photography by Marietta Asemwota Instagram rob_has_a_pen

istorian Lewis Mumford famously stated, “The timelessness of art is its capacity to represent the transformation of endless becoming into being.” History is a testament to the people, families, towns, cities, and society that are constantly changing and evolving. Art of a specific time period can bring into focus the spirit of the era, capturing a time of transformation, and revealing a guiding principle of the past. For illustrator and graffiti artist RC, art can illuminate the zeitgeist of an era by utilizing the seemingly ordinary objects that populate people’s everyday lives. More importantly, creating art connects RC to his family, who have played an integral part in San Francisco Bay Area history. To understand RC as an artist, we have to begin with a significant piece of Bay Area history. The late 1800s in California was a confusing time; ranchos of the Old West were slowly divided up, sold, or taken, and the days of vaqueros, dons, and wealthy land ownership were coming to an end. The transition from Mexican government land grants to American settler claims under statehood was messy. Before this transition, however, was the Robles family, who arrived in Monterey in 1797. In 1847, brothers Teodoro and Secundino Robles purchased Rancho Rincon de San Francisquito, 8,800 acres of beautiful grazing land located in what is now south Palo Alto. The family home stood at Alma Street and San Antonio Road, where Don Secundino and his wife, Dona Maria Antonia, became known for their hospitality—a stage stop between San Francisco and San Jose. They would offer refreshments, hold bear and bullfights, host fandangos, and allow hunters to ride Secundino’s beautiful horses across the

property. Secundino and the Robles name became a cornerstone of late nineteenth-century peninsula life, known as the land of wealth and abundance of goodwill towards all. Secundino and Maria Antonia Robles are RC’s great-great-greatgreat-great-grandparents. Their story and its role in the history of the Bay Area, when the Old West began to meet the modern age, holds significant value for RC when the Old West began to meet the modern age. During this time, innovation and the natural environment lived hand-in-hand. “That time period was interesting because it was soon enough ago that we relate to the objects seen from that time, but they were created with simple materials (wood, glass, metal). There was a boom of modern-day conveniences being invented constantly, but everything still had a natural beauty to it. Most of the objects in your house back then would have been one-of-a-kind, but you could have still felt you were at the edge of innovation.” The spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship of the Old West influences RC’s approach to art and helps frame the visual aesthetic of his work. RC explains, “I don’t think there are any prerequisites for how a really great artist can come to be, except one—I think they need to possess a rebel or outsider spirit in some way, and it should be very natural. The overarching spirit of the West is that of creative outsiders.” RC carries this spirit as his art and life occupies a space between conformity and rebellion.

“I DON’T THINK THERE ARE ANY PREREQUISITES FOR HOW A REALLY GREAT ARTIST CAN COME TO BE, EXCEPT ONE—I THINK THEY NEED TO POSSESS A REBEL OR OUTSIDER SPIRIT IN SOME WAY, AND IT SHOULD BE VERY NATURAL.” -RC

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RC is a software engineer—a job that pays the bills and provides health insurance—but his real passion is his graffiti work. The challenge of working within the confines of letter-shape rules and limitations, while simultaneously creating art where one feels they shouldn’t, is a welcomed one. “Graffiti is a mental and physical challenge, which gives a higher sense of achievement in return after overcoming those challenges.” The discipline of working within a certain form while applying it through a medium historically seen as vandalism mirrors the rebel spirit of the Old West. Graffiti took hold of RC in high school when all he wanted to do was draw and tag. As his skills grew, people started hiring him for flyers, logos, or website design. Full-time graphic design wasn’t paying the bills, so he transitioned and started doing hybrid design and software engineering work. It wasn’t until the recent California wildfires and the pandemic that RC found the streets less crowded than usual. “Everyone was staying inside. I remember thinking it’d be a great time to get back on the street again in those smokey years. Then when the pandemic hit, it was like a very not-subtle ask from the universe to paint all the Bandos in my neighborhood.” The letter forms in his graffiti work have a heaviness to them; solid and firmly planted as if they were cornerstones to a building. Yet the letters turn and stretch into each other bringing a lightness and life-like quality to his work. RC’s fine art illustrations follow in his graffiti’s footsteps as his subjects seem to hold a particular shape, like that of a letter form, with lines that flow and bend in the same direction, giving the subjects a sense of confinement. In one black and white illustration entitled “The Long Hat Horse Rider,” a vaquero sits upon a horse. RC illustrates a half-wooden and half-fabric horse whose legs fold upon themselves into wheels. A bird cage sits upon the haunches of the horse as the birds stick their heads out between the bars. The transformational time of the last decades of the Old West produced in ornate detail, grace RC’s illustrations. Their overall stamp-like quality further suggests the antiquity of the subjects.

As beautiful as the visual remnants of a bygone time are, those times were hard. Eventually, Secundino’s famous hospitality was slowly taken advantage of by those who desired his land, and in 1876 his estate was down to a mere 300 acres. Though the Robles family had to conform to the new norms Americans brought with them, a quiet rebellion took place as Secundino and Maria Antonia never wavered from opening up their home, offering a drink, and allowing visitors to enjoy their land. The Robles hospitality continued into the early 1890s and refreshments were handed out by Maria Antonia to passing bicyclists until she died in 1897. RC continues to carry his family, their journey, and history with him through his art. Growing up, drawing with his older sister and grandparents planted the seed for RC to embrace the philosophy of staying true to himself. He has carried them through tough times as his art has pulled him out of a “dysfunctional state” after losing a family member to suicide. He carries them now as his graffiti work adorns the concrete landscape of Silicon Valley, the same valley where his ancestors rode across endless pastures and became known for their famous hospitality. If art can represent the “transformation of endless becoming into being,” then it’s RC’s family and their endless becoming that his art strives to bring into being. “The story of the West, in particular, is one of having no backup plan and being on your own should something go wrong, and without any established settlements to help you, given it was the new land. My great-grandparents had 29 children. Only eight of them lived to adulthood, and I can only imagine what they went through. The strength they had to have back then is inspiring to me, and I think about it a lot when I’m drawing.” C

THE CILKER SCHOOL OF ART AND DESIGN West Valley College focuses on the success of its students by providing a comprehensive course catalog that includes its innovative Cilker School of Art and Design, a world-class community college of art and design that exposes students to cutting-edge technology and critical thinking. The school offers interdisciplinary opportunities in art history, ceramics, computer arts and animation, design, drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, landscape architecture, architecture, communications design (digital media, graphic design, UX), fashion design and apparel technology, and interior design with three departments—Visual Arts, Design and Architecture, and Performing Arts. West Valley College believes in the power of a well-rounded education to shape a future that extends beyond the classroom. Each year, graduating students have the opportunity to showcase their capstone work—a testament to their growth and achievements—to peers, instructors, and the community. In the third year of the Cilker School of Art and Design’s EXPO, they have expanded the event’s reach to celebrate the dynamic relationship between art and design and science and math. The inaugural three-day STEAMD (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math, & Design) Fest will create a platform that ignites interdisciplinary collaboration between students and faculty, reinforcing the essential symbiotic relationships between disciplines. In this issue, we spotlight the influential career of Diane Hurd, the chair of the Interior Design Department, who is retiring after 31 years with West Valley College. We, also, feature three notable students from the various disciplines of the Cilker School of Art and Design as they move forward in their craft and careers. C

Introduction by David E. Valdespino Jr. Photography by Daniel Garcia westvalley.edu/schools/art-design Instagram wvccilkersoad

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Written by Nikoo Parsizadeh Photography by Daniel Garcia Instagram wvc_interior_design_club

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NOT A FAREWELL TO INTERIOR DESIGN DIANE HURD 61

“I taught the first class on the first day, and I will never forget leaving the classroom, shutting the door, getting into my car, and thinking, ‘That was pretty fun.

Maybe I can do this.’”

n West Valley College’s Interior Design Department, the tall windows that offer a glimpse of the bustling campus outside emanate a certain sense of openness and inspiration. These windows allow an abundance of natural light to flood the space but also provide a visual connection to the dynamic environment beyond, thereby inviting creativity and fostering a sense of community among the student designers. Diane Hurd’s career trajectory wasn’t always clear from the start. Born and raised in San Jose, Diane was initially faced with the traditional options for women of that era—marriage, nursing, or secretarial work—but Diane sought something different. After becoming an assistant teacher at her local church, she discovered her interest in teaching but realized she didn’t want to limit herself to teaching at her local church. Upon entering San Jose State University, Diane’s search for her passion continued. It wasn’t until she found interior design on the list of majors that her path became clear. After earning her degree in commercial design, Diane continued in that field for 15 years, working with two architecture firms and various commercial furniture dealers. Diane found herself unexpectedly teaching a class at the College of San Mateo, even though she had no prior teaching experience beyond what she had gained in her church. Despite her initial hesitation, she quickly discovered a passion for sharing her professional knowledge with students. After two years of teaching at the College of San

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Mateo, Diane moved on to teach at San Jose State University. However, she ultimately landed at West Valley College a year later, where she spent 31 years teaching interior design and serving as the department chair. “I taught the first class on the first day, and I will never forget leaving the classroom, shutting the door, getting into my car, and thinking, ‘That was pretty fun. Maybe I can do this.’ I realized, although I didn’t have teaching experience, I had professional experience that I could share with students.” Diane’s teaching philosophy centers on giving students first-hand knowledge of the profession and how it operates in real-life scenarios. She focuses on translating theoretical concepts into practical interior design practice, emphasizing that her primary goal is to help students bridge the gap between academic knowledge and professional application. “I don’t want the students to just know the theory,” she explains, “but to translate and transform it into how that theory is implemented in interior design practice.” She adds, “Everything I teach is about how they can take that into the profession, and I guess you can say that is my basic philosophy on interior design.” Diane’s aspiration for her students is for them to grasp the significance of interior design. As they work with environments where individuals live, dine, labor, and engage in recreational activities, Diane’s objective for her students is to shape people’s lives through impactful designs. Diane feels her most profound sense of fulfillment during the spring semester’s conclusion,

when she beholds her students and their families brimming with smiles and adorned with a sense of accomplishment. Witnessing these students’ successes, whether in significant projects or small endeavors throughout the year, elicits a profound joy in Diane. It signifies to her that her students have absorbed the knowledge and confidence essential for stepping into their respective fields. Beyond her immediate purview as a department chair for the Interior Design Department, Diane’s role extends to engaging with diverse colleagues and areas of expertise. This expanded responsibility includes administrative duties, and over the years, Diane has had the opportunity to witness and navigate various administrative landscapes, each presenting unique challenges and opportunities. With her potential retirement, the subject of Diane’s legacy has been brought up. While the term “legacy” may seem grandiose to her, Diane has reached the conclusion that her legacy primarily comprises the environment she cultivated. “All I am doing is my job,” she says, “and crossing my fingers two times that it has worked out. But on a serious note, I believe my legacy lies in maintain-

ing the Interior Design program’s professionalism and fostering a culture of collaboration.” After her retirement, Diane’s involvement with interior design will remain steadfast. Her focus will shift towards engaging in pro bono projects with a charitable organization. The objective of these projects is to facilitate collaborations between students and designers, directing their collective expertise towards projects for nonprofit organizations, charities, or individuals typically unable to afford professional interior design services. These initiatives are not only advantageous for student’s portfolios, but they also provide a platform for them to engage with potential clientele and the field at large. Furthermore, it enables Diane to maintain her connections with students and continue sharing her knowledge with them. The pandemic has not left the field of interior design untouched, and it has prompted an evolution in the way designers approach both indoor and outdoor spaces. Diane believes that the future of the field will involve a more meticulous consideration of space, particularly as society transitions from open layouts to more enclosed designs due to social distancing requirements. C

“I believe my legacy lies in maintaining the Interior Design program’s

professionalism collaboration”

and fostering a culture of

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JOEL HANGAI

Music Education More than just being a student who is passionate about music, Joel Hangai is dedicated to helping others. Growing up, Hangai learned any instrument he could get his hands on. He put in many hours of work every day to become a more knowledgeable and capable instrumentalist. When he was unsure of where to go with his talents, West Valley College asked him to become a peer tutor for music majors. He fell in love with sharing his passion with others. Hangai has since delved into music education, teaching all types of students across the Bay Area. He hopes to one day become a music professor. No matter what, he will always find a way to keep music a part of his life. Instagram: jthangai

JOSHUA CRUZ

Fashion Design Joshua Cruz began his journey in fashion with a high school graphic design course, where he made designs for classmates. He was motivated by creating cool things and the hope that his work could inspire others to create and share artwork of their own. Born and raised in Mexico, Cruz is inspired by his childhood. He experienced the realities of growing up in a poor and dangerous neighborhood, surrounded by graffiti, dirty sidewalks, walls with bullet holes, and cartel members on the corner. Cruz uses that imagery as inspiration and hopes to show the beauty behind what could be viewed as chaos. His fashion designs include a variety silhouettes, textures, and fabrics to represent a multitude of lives—lives which may seem unbearable to some. His goal is to mix art and fashion to create a combination that inspires others. Instagram: publiccrimes

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SHRADDHA KARALKAR Interior Design Shraddha Karalkar was raised in India’s colorful and creative environment, a country of rich culture, wellness, and spiritual wisdom that shaped her views on critical thinking and aesthetics. Immigrating to the United States after earning multiple degrees in pharmaceutical science was challenging. In the fall of 2021, she enrolled at West Valley College. She was drawn to the thoughtful design of creative spaces after noticing how design elements could impact the moods and actions of others. Her interior design courses fueled her passion and led her to become a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Associate.

Since then, she has won multiple student design competitions held by the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) and received a Design Excellence Award from the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). Shraddha is continuing her journey towards excellence in the field of interior design. Instagram: shraddha.kar

CONTRIBUTORS The production of CONTENT MAGAZINE would not be possible without the talented writers, editors, graphic artists, and photographers who contribute to each issue. We thank you and are proud to provide a publication to display your work. We are also thankful for the sponsors and readers who have supported this magazine through sponsorships and memberships. Be a part of the CONTENT community. Contact us at:

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MORGAN SMAIL Morgan is a multidisciplinary designer working independently with clients as well as collaboratively with agencies for small startups and big brands alike. Website: morgansmail.com

NIKOO PARSIZADEH Nikoo is a journalist, poet, and multimedia artist. She is an art advocate and is passionate about writing, weaving diverse mediums to express intricate narratives. Instagram: nikoo_pars

COVER ART RC’s art, influenced by family history, illuminates the spirit of innovation and rebellion. Through graffiti and illustration, he captures the essence of transformation and resilience. Article page 52. Instagram: rob_has_a_pen

MARIETTA ASEMWOTA Marietta is a photographer specializing in capturing authentic and joyful moments. She loves deep conversations and is passionate about life, laughter, and building community. Instagram: ettamedia

KATHERINE HYPES Katherine is a freelance copy editor and yoga teacher from Gilroy. On the weekends she operates as a Day Guide, sharing her love of the natural world through facilitated hiking & yoga experiences and rock climbing classes. Check out her free yoga nidra meditations on Insight Timer.

TROY EWERS Troy is a writer and creator with a unique voice and passion for storytelling. Raised in the Southside of San Jose, Troy has worked in music, sports, and fashion for almost a decade now and wants to promote more originality and creativity in art.

Instagram: katherinehypes

Instagram: trizzyebaby

MIGHTY MIKE MCGEE Mighty Mike is a poet and a humorist from a big, loving family. He is powered by soup, Scrabble, and San José.

SAIRA SINGH Saira (she/they) is an Assistant Water Resources Specialist and Youth Climbing Coach based in San Jose. She loves writing features, reading non-fiction, doing yoga, and going outdoors!

Instagram: mightymikemcgee

LinkedIn: Saira Singh

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Saturday, August 10

CELEBRATING OUR REGION’S 2023 CALIFORNIA ARTS COUNCIL INDIVIDUAL ARTIST FELLOWS Santa Clara County Pilar Agüero-Esparza Ivan Del Acordeon Amy Hibbs

Alice Hur Anh Le

Siana Smith Roy Hirabayashi

Santa Cruz County Nina Barzegar RogueViolin Farnaz Fatemi

Winsor Kinkade Moze Adela Najarro

Sylvia Valentine Dr. Osa T. Hidalgo de la Riva

San Mateo County Nathan Aurellano Katerina Eng Beckman Shari Bryant

Eva Chen Barbara Mumby

Farah Yasmeen Shaikh Na Omi Judy

San Benito County Kirti Bassendine

Aidet Maupomé

Venecia Prudencio

Monterey County JC Gonzalez Ava Homa

Natalia Corazza

Jerry Takigawa

Event details at svcreates.org

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