Melanie Cervantes

About Melanie Cervantes

Biography:

I am a Xicana activist-artist and and I work to translate the hopes and dreams of justice movements into images that educate, agitate and inspire.My work includes black and white illustrations, paintings, installations and paper stencils, but I am best know for my political screen prints and posters. Employing vibrant colors and hand-drawn illustrations, my work moves those viewed as marginal to the center -- featuring powerful youth, elders, women, and queer and indigenous peoples.My training as an artist began with my mother and father. I learned color theory while helping my mom select fabric for school clothes at Los Angeles swap meets; and I developed some of my technical skills by watching my dad repurpose neighborhood junk into my childhood treasures.I built on this knowledge by studying library books, designing and constructing my own clothes, and forging friendships with other creative people. At UC Berkeley I received formal training in Ethnic Studies, and in 2004 graduated with a Bachelors Degree.I fuse what I learned from this interdisciplinary study of racialized peoples, my art skills and my strong decolonizing politics in order to become a powerhouse

Location:

Oakland/San Leandeo

Occupation:

Activist Artist and Designer