Visuals 10.08.20

ROSE SELLERY

She may be a visual artist, but Rose Sellery proclaims in her artist statement that she is out to reinterpret spoken word. And she doesn’t mean poetry. She means translating slang, derogatory phrases and what she calls “thoughtlessly sanctioned expressions” into art that explores family dynamics, gender roles and other societal structures in all its fragility. Therefore, her art – which is manifested in fashion, collages and sculpture – can be jarring with bright reds and blues that pop from faded sickly greens and grays. Feminine silhouettes of dresses can be embellished with sharp spikes. But it does all make you think. Her solo exhibits have been featured at Monterey Museum of Art and the MPC gallery. rosesellery.com.

JOSÉ SANTANA

José Santana didn’t exactly fall into a “man’s work” during his childhood in Santa Anita, Jalisco, Mexico. In part, it’s because his father’s job meant Santana spent a lot of time doing “women’s work” – learning the cultural arts like needle point work from the women in his family. Moving to the U.S. ,however, he says he lost a lot of that culture and the ability to express himself. He found it again, thanks to a jewelry-making class at Cabrillo College in Aptos, and has now ventured into metalwork. Locally his work has been featured at MPC gallery. santanaart.com.