After Impact
IMPACT A COMMUNNITY.
10 weeks passed, and the class did it. They left their mark on Isla Vista. They gave back to their community. They created a mural for all Isla Vista residents to see. Being so caught up in finishing the mural on time, the students did not realize until after the quarter that their creative work was far from over. The impact had just begun.
Being an art major with a focus in photography, Kortney always looked for different ways to execute her creative work. She took the course to gain more background and experience with painting and collaboration - which she had never done before. From this experience, she found a new medium in art while also expanding her photography spectrum by documenting the process of the entire course. This was something she had not previously done before with her photography.
From Student to Teacher
GABRIEL CARDENAS
"I WANTED TO LEAVE MY IMPRINT ON IV - TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT WOULD ALWAYS BE HERE EVEN AFTER I WAS GONE."
-Kortney pham
Juliet Fong, fourth year biology major, never thought that taking a course on murals could ever change her perspective as an aspiring artist. After seeing an email about the course on the art minors subscription, the only goal in her mind was to give something back to the beach town that she loved so much. Though the class at times did feel like a typical course (go to class, take attendance, meet deadlines), it did not stray away from creating a bond with the cohort of students that all wanted to wake up early on a Saturday and make Isla Vista more beautiful. For Fong, the Urban Art Workshop class expanded her appreciation for murals and the entire process to make one and also taught her to take a deep breath and go into hobbies that would help her de-stress. The course helped her become a more cooperative artist, a more stress-free student, and a prouder resident of Isla Vista.
Some students wanted to take the class because they loved art. Some wanted to leave an impact in Isla Vista when they’re gone. Students like Abbey enjoyed the creative and painting process so much, that they decided to minor in Art. However, what these students didn’t anticipate was that the mural painting class would impact them as well. One student, however, was given the opportunity to teach the class after he graduated. That student was Gabriel Cardenas.
Photos by Kortney Pham.
PASSION TO PROFESSION
Gabriel uses visual art, like this original work, to create change for social justice.
GABRIEL CARDENAS
Despite not being an Art major during his time in UCSB, Gabriel already had experience painting large scale murals before enrolling. That’s what inspired him to take the course during his senior year in the Fall of 2015. The class, which is open to all students regardless of their majors gave him to do what he loves: paint.
It didn’t take long for Gabriel to accept Trela’s proposition. Not only did he have experience painting murals, as well as inside knowledge of how the class works -- he also had “prior experience teaching art and murals to the youth…” before enrolling in the class.
Once he accepted, he was connected the CHO and everyone that made the Urban Art Workshop possible, and began his role as an instructor once he graduated. Not only did the Urban Art Workshop allowed Gabriel Cardenas to leave a lasting impact in the community once he graduated, the class also left an impact him by allowing him to teach the next generation of students mural painting skills.
Photo by Kortney Pham.