Jones Gallery Guest Lecture Series

Past Lectures

Fall 2020: STAT - Guest Artist Lecture

Stat is a Seattle-based artist whose work confronts racial inequality and the need for racial justice in a vibrant and relevant language. Stat uses color, sharp contrast, and familiar connections to pop culture to engage with the viewer. His creativity has proven boundless as he inspires empowerment and activism for Black and Brown communities through digital art, public murals, and app development to name a few of his mediums.

Fall 2020: STAT - Quique Rivera - Guest Artist Lecture

Quique Rivera is a Puerto Rican artist based in Los Angeles. He is an extensively awarded artist, animator, sculptor, and filmmaker. He has participated in international film festivals from Havana to Moscow over the past decade. Winning the Grand Jury Award at the 2012 New Orleans Film Festival for his film, El delirio del pez león. He was nominated for a Latin Grammy in 2015, had his films screened at over 70 international film festivals, and currently has work on view at the Museum of Latin American Art.

Fall 2018: MrBaby - Alegres Sueños

A Latina born and raised in San Diego, California, Michelle Ruby aka Mrbbaby, uses elements of her heritage as inspiration for her striking and lively artwork. Bbaby is heavily influenced by her community, as well as her Puerto Rican/Mexican upbringing. By combining vibrant colors with traditional imagery, MrBbaby is able to uplift her audience and intrigue her viewers. The artist's aim is to bring happiness and joy to her collectors and community, while also having stronger messages intertwined, all of which are open to the viewer's interpretation.

Michelle was raised in a predominantly Spanish-speaking home with a single mother and her older sister. Her mother's strong work ethic led her to move to San Francisco and pursue her dream as an artist. Bbaby lived and studied art in San Francisco. After attaining her Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts, she then decided it was time for a change and returned to her hometown to focus on a career. She had a daughter of her own and was determined to lead by example, so she began teaching art full-time. Although Michelle enjoyed teaching, she longed to create. She eventually moved to Los Angeles to try her go at being a full-time artist. Regardless of the many obstacles and struggles along the way, Mrbbaby was persistent and determined in all she did. She is now residing part-time in Los Angeles and part-time in San Diego trying to succeed in the art world and provide a strong role model for her daughter. She has now shown in galleries, such as Chimmaya Gallery, Just another Gallery, Chicano Park Gallery, and more. She is also a muralist and has had clients ranging from Random House to San Diego Weekly, etc.

Fall 2017: Aaron Farley and Joshua Schaedel - Reflection Exhibition

Aaron Farley and Joshua Schaedel's collaboration started from a place of sharing experiences from their past to draw inspiration from in the hopes to grow. Upon their first meeting two years ago they began work on their first body of work titled “Yield”, which dives head first into the exploration of construction materials as a means to dissolve both their history working in construction and the potential that raw construction materials can be a source for new and unexpected possibilities. In this iteration of their collaboration, the artists are asking the viewers to go on a journey with them of personal growth as they explore conversations of therapy, self-realization, meditation and its manifestation through art. Even though becoming the best versions of ourselves is nearly impossible, we must reflect to truly see ourselves, as is the way to know someone or something is to see your reflection in them.

Spring 2017: Kaelyn Rodriguez - Guest Lecture

This lecture was presented at Bakersfield College, May 1st, 2017 by UCLA Chicanx Studies doctoral candidate, Kaelyn Rodriquez. She presented information on 20th century discrimination endured by Latino communities in Los Angeles and her community based research using art to grow awareness of local diversity, need for social justice through the roots of Chicano and Mexican Muralism.