Soy Artista/I Am Artist

Soy un Senior Citizen, retired after 33

years of teaching, viejito, picante pero sabroso. Hold 2 Master's Degrees, one from California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland in Fine Art, and a 2nd in English from Stanislaus State University . Taught the gamut of Chicano courses for some 15 years : Chicano Literature, Chicano History, Mexican History and Art, and Chicano Teatro. Taught the gamut of English courses the last 15 years: English, literature and Critical Thinking. Was co-cordinator of the Puente Program at Delta College for the last 4 years.

I was inducted into Stockton's Mexican American Hall of Fame in 1993, was one of 5 honorees at KVIE's Channel 6,

Hispanic Cultural Celebration in September 2008, and will receive Stockton Arts Commision S.T.A.R. Award (Stockton'sTop Artist Recognition) on Octber 17, 2008. New to Blogging, sounds like a dirty word. I do a littlle of many things: paint, draw, play guitar & sing bi-lingual of course, and write poetry. I epecially love to sing corridos and rancheras but I do American folk and folk-rock stuff too. I paint and draw, but have found a special place in my corazon for clay and many of my latest works are ceramic masks and figurines. I am often invited to perform, to sing and read my poetry and I love it. Nothing like an audience that reacts to poetry and music with joy. Orale. Soon as I learn more, hope to post poems, videos y photos etc. For now it is baby steps, poquito a poquito, like a child learning to walk, to talk. Chicanismo is a way of seeing the world, of living in the middle of things taking the best from two sides, frijoles con steak, tu sabes, hamburger con salsa, jalapenos con pickles.