March is Women’s History Month and this year Delta College will be celebrating “Creative Women” digitally, including featuring an exhibition by eight female artists.
VOICES, the latest virtual art exhibition from the LH Horton Jr Gallery, presents the work of eight women who currently form the collective and share a connection to life in Stockton and to creating art. The VOICES collective was formed in October 2018 for an exhibition in March 2019 at the Mexican Heritage Center.
“Our diversity makes us strong,” said Luz Lua, one of the founders of the group. “We have different backgrounds with a common thread: sharing our voice through creative expression.”
Luz brought her work as an artist and arts educator full circle with the founding of the VOICES collective and the invitation to former students to exhibit with the group, including Celina Gonzalez-Cortez, Cherry Larkins, Leila Valencia, and Adreanna Rodriguez, who are now all practicing artists. In addition, Gonzalez-Cortez, Valencia, and Allison Savage are graduates from Delta College. Valencia is completing her degree in studio arts from the University of the Pacific, and Gonzalez-Cortez and Savage are high school art teachers at Stockton Unified School District.
To view the online VOICES Exhibition, visit the Gallery website at gallery.deltacollege.edu.
Throughout the years, members of the group have changed but the focus stays constant. The members presenting for this show were invited because they had two important characteristics: passion for their craft and a dedication to helping others in their community. Another fundamental purpose of the group is to encourage women to continue their practice in the arts. Furthermore, the group supports one another in the promotion and organization of exhibitions locally, nationally, and internationally.
The exhibiting artists present a variety of genres and mediums including painting (on canvas and murals), sculpture, mixed media collage, fiber arts, macramé, short documentary film, and dance. In addition, the content of their work demonstrates how contemporary artists express their voice on the human condition, including immigration, racism, climate change, farm labor in California, spirituality, love, and most recently, the impacts of COVID-19.
As member artist Bird Gallagher reflects on this past year through her art, “I chose the exploration of organic ebb and flow. Examined but unplanned metaphors. Mapping out a stream of colorful trails that lead along a textured path with patches of hope, resilience, and some established subsistence embedded along the way.”
Each artist uniquely contributes something to the collective whole.
“Though I am creating alone,” said Cherry Larkins, “together with my fellow artists we are making something through presenting our work for exhibition.”
On Thursday, March 18 at 3:30 p.m., the program ‘Rosie Reimagined’ will be offered. Learn about training locally through Career Technical Education programs at Delta College, and other trade industry partners, and hear from women who are already doing it. Find the link for this webinar at www.deltacollege.edu/event/rosie-reimagined.
A program on Monday, March 22 at 1:30 p.m. will feature “Witches: Author talk with Sarah Lohman.” Join in as celebrated author Sarah Lohman explores the creative women labeled “witches.” The Zoom link for this webinar will be posted the week of the event at: www.deltacollege.edu/student-life/cultural-awareness-program/womens-history-month.
In celebration of Women’s History Month, Delta also invites you to consider donating to the college’s Student Food Pantry. Historically, women have often been responsible for food preparation for the family and right now, a lot of students are facing food insecurity during this national crisis.
It is easier than ever to make a tax-deductible donation through the Student Food Pantry website at deltacollege.edu/student-life/office-student-activities/student-food-pantry.
