Lunch and Learn: Latinx Women in Art: From Self-Expressionism to Activism
Event Description:
Moderator: Katie Avila Loughmiller
Katie Avila Loughmiller is an interdisciplinary social practice artist exploring her own cultural complexity and female identity while also deeply involved in the work of strengthening and building community. Avila Loughmiller received her undergraduate degree at the Gallatin School of Individualized Study at New York University and completed her Master of Fine Arts degree in the Public Practice program at Otis College of Art & Design. Avila Loughmiller has been an artist-in-residence at Santa Fe Art Institute, Atlantic Center for the Arts, Little House Gallery, Vermont Studio Center, Wildacres Residency Program and MKE<->LAX. Avila Loughmiller is the co-founder of LUNA (Latinas Unidas eN las Artes), a Latina artist collective and a founding member of Heard Space, a women of color led and focused performance arts collective, both based in Milwaukee, WI. In addition to her art practice, Avila Loughmiller has a strong commitment to education and has taught in various educational settings in South Africa, New York City, Los Angeles, Boston and currently teaches in the theatre department at University Wisconsin Milwaukee. Lastly, you can listen to her on We Heard We're Funny, a comedy radio show, on Riverwest Radio 104.1 FM and soundcloud.
Panelist: Nicole Acosta
Born and raised in Milwaukee, WI, Nicole Acosta is a first generation multi-disciplinary Mexican artist. Whether through visual art, written word or photography-most of Nicole’s work reflects the exploration of her identity, experience and storytelling. Nicole holds a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing Management from Alverno College with a minor in Elective Studies and is a proud graduate of the Milwaukee High School of The Arts, and prior to her transfer to Alverno, spent years at Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design and Milwaukee Area Technical College studying photography. Her HOOPS Portrait Project is being nationally recognized and is her current focus. Nicole is a founding artist of LUNA.
Website: https://www.atsocanicole.com/ IG: @atsocanic
Panelist: Añamarie America Edwards
Añamarie America Edwards is a multi-disciplinary artist originally from Knoxville, TN currently working and residing in Milwaukee, WI. She utilizes installation, photography, video, & film to express her thoughts & experiences in her skin as a BIPOC woman. While sharing these experiences through her visual practice and written word, she also aims to educate white audiences of her work on past trauma embedded in her Afro-Latinx culture & tradition. Educational moments in Añamarie’s work are trained to critique white audiences and spaces, remnants of herself are tied to. Becoming vulnerable for education, she seeks to not only target education in her work but create moments of appreciation, care, joy, and healing to my BIPOC audience while also sharing past and present frustration with the world. Añamarie consistently recreates moments of thought and experience as glue to help her communities bond, conversate, and practice vulnerability & transparency together in safe spaces. Añamarie currently studies at Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design and joined LUNA in 2020. This is her first time showing work with the collective.
IG: @anamarie.e
Panelist: Gabriella Riveros
Gabriela Riveros is a Paraguayan-American illustrator whose work revolves around multi-cultural identities, history, and mythology. Storytelling is an integral part of Riveros' work. She is based in Milwaukee and graduated from Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design in 2016 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration. She is currently a full time product-development artist and a freelancer. Gabriela is a co-founder of LUNA and has co-curated multiple shows and co-managed the business part of the collective.
Website: chanchitariveros.com IG: @chanchita_riveros