Art Mentors
In collaboration with Santa Maria Joint Union High School District, Corazón del Pueblo worked with Ethnic & Gender Studies (EGS) teachers to develop and implement a rigorous art project involving students from Santa Maria, Pioneer Valley and Ernest Righetti High Schools.
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We work with students that have little to zero experience with art and walk them through a mix of instructional video lessons developed by Disney artist Ruben Espinoza, as well as in-person support from art mentors. We contract and train local emerging artist to go into the classrooms and work one-on-one with students to develop their creative vision, research topics of social issues and develop practical art skills. In addition, our goal with these mentorship positions is to provide an opportunity for current or aspiring artists to develop their own art & leadership skills while simultaneously helping Santa Maria Valley youth preserve their cultural heritage, learn about social issues, and find their own artistic voices.
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Corazon del Pueblo and our art mentors work inside classrooms 6 hours a day, 5 days a week to ensure they are receiving the proper support to complete their finished art piece. The program last 6-8 weeks depending on the teacher's needs. At the end of every program cycle we host a community gallery event, inviting students, their families and the wider community to celebrate our youth, their voices and their artistic talents.
Ruben Espinoza
Lead Artist
Ruben Espinoza has worked in the design and animation industry for over ten years on productions like Nickelodeon’s shorts programs, Puss In Boots and Right Now Kapow. He enjoys collaborating and is a strong believer that any successful partnership is built on the foundation of good communication.
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Ruben is currently working as a Layout Designer for Disney TV.
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Ruben Espinoza has been the lead artist in the "Nuestra Loteria" project since 2021 and has helped train the art mentors since. He has created a series of lesson plans through video, which are then presented to the classrooms to help guide the students through the creative process. Through these videos, he is not only teaching the student's art and brainstorming skills, he is also analyzing and breaking down the significance behind loteria cards in a culturally empowering approach. While also advocating for social justice through the arts.