The opening of my exhibition entitled: Oración de los Números: Economizing Memory, Sanity, & Hours is THIS SATURDAY! Yay!

I am very excited about my show! I can't decide which dress to wear. What do you think? Black, short, with one shoulder and a big flower-bow-thing, or Turquoise v-neck T-length? My mother will prefer the turquoise one! :)


Here I posted a few photos of the 44 Sentimental Loteria Prayer Cards. These are hung in a grid on one wall of my exhibit space. They are based on a combination of the traditional Mexican bingo card game called "Loteria" and on Haitian Prayer Flags. This series is dedicated to my father. My feelings for him are so muddle with memory and prayer, so I dedicate this to him. This series also reminds me of my children and husband, my sisters and our childhood, my dear friends, and of course my mother. Special thanks also goes to my mother, who gave me the Mexican side of my Mexican-American Heritage. There are lots of other things happening in the show, which you can read about below, in my press release. The pieces I show here are not even my best ones, so come see what else is in store! :)
 
I am thankful to all the people who have helped this exhibit materialize! Some of these people were present through every step. Some people were not, and are even far away, but their presence and strength is felt in every painting. Some of these people are; Jon Damon, Amy Ross, Stephanie Bynum, Emilie Correa, Michelle Patch, and all of Dandelion Gallery, David McElroy, my mother and father, my little cousin Marky Considine, Amy Tomson, my patient children, Allsion & Christina, and all of my dear friends and family.


Here I have included a copy of the press release.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Waukegan Gallery Highlights Hispanic Heritage Month, Art, and Economy

Dandelion Gallery, 109 S. Genesee St., Waukegan Il – September 15, 2012- Dandelion Gallery will honor Hispanic Heritage Month with a large installation by Mexican-American emerging artist Katrina Davis-Salazar entitled Oración de los Números: Economizing Memory, Sanity, & Hours. This show will coincide with ArtWauk and will also include work by twenty-three talented member artists.

Davis-Salazar’s work was chosen to represent Hispanic heritage month because it celebrates Latina culture with both color and content and reaches all cultural and economic groups throughout the community. Oración de los Números: Economizing Memory, Sanity, & Hours will include the following five new collections by Davis-Salazar:
44 Sentimental Loteria Prayer Cards
Art by the foot: 30 feet of Family Peace- in Pieces
Como ser Cuerdo: Hanging On, Up
24 Faces: I Love You > Universe X ∞
Buy these paintings, sight unseen.
Davis-Salazar’s highly narrative style employs bold color and tattoo-like texture to unite culture, prayer, sanity, and economy.

In order to represent the diverse economic community of Waukegan and surrounding areas (and the recession), Davis-Salazar’s works will be priced from $12 to $500 and sold in interactive ways that resemble a warehouse sale. For example, Art by the foot will be cut and sold on site. Sight Unseen will be covered by paper printed with titles describing the piece in order to instruct the buyer, sold at a discounted rate, and revealed after purchase. There will be other paintings exhibited and sold in a more traditional manner. "Recession art" is a current trend in today's economy, which Davis-Salazar has embraced since 2011, making her work affordable to all.

The opening night of Oración de los Números: Economizing Memory, Sanity, & Hours and ArtWauk will be held on September 15th from 5pm to 9pm and coincides with the first day of Hispanic Heritage Month (which extends until October 15th.) Adults and children are welcome at this family-friendly event.

About Katrina Davis-Salazar and Dandelion Gallery:

Dandelion Gallery is a non-profit cooperative in downtown Waukegan and has been at the heart of Waukegan’s artistic revival since March of 2011. Katrina Davis-Salazar is a local working artist whose layered mixed-media paintings explore issues of culture, relationships, vulnerability, strength, prayer, sanity, and consumption. Davis-Salazar received her BFA from University of Kansas, and her MFA from University of Colorado at Boulder. She joined the gallery in May of 2011 and has painted murals in many area schools throughout the community.

Contact:

Emilie Correa, Gallery Director
Dandelion Gallery
109 S. Genesee St., Waukegan, IL
(224) 430-9975
www.dandeliongallery.org
###