Linda Felipez, professor of technology, had art featured in an exhibit at Queens University of Charlotte in North Carolina earlier this year. The art exhibit is entitled Arte Latino Now: An Exhibition of Latino Artists and each year features a juried selection of work from Latino artists across the United States.

Two years ago, Dr. Margarita Pignataro, a friend and colleague of Linda Felipez, encouraged Felipez to submit some of her artwork to the Arte Latino Now exhibit. Pignataro is a Spanish literature and Latino studies professor at the University of Wyoming and was a visiting professor at Whitman College when Felipez met her. Being of Cuban descent, Felipez sent in her first submission, a piece called Hope from a series titled Fruit of the Spirit. Her second submission, exhibited this year, was a piece named Vaya con Dios, meaning “Go with God” in Spanish.

“They were created from original photographs which were then digitally manipulated to create the artistic typography,” Felipez said. “The graffiti was photographed from original work found on freight trains through the Pacific Northwest. I took these files and manipulated the characters into words of my choice and then juxtaposed the newly-created graffiti against the building.”

Felipez’s purpose for her Fruit of the Spirit series was “to bring something godly and positive into the world through a medium that is typically associated with negativity and is often gangster-related.”

“My interest in graffiti dates back to the early 70s. Growing up outside of Chicago, we witnessed graffiti all around, especially on freight cars. The colors, typographic styles, and culture were fascinating to me. As well, old buildings have a special appeal and intrigue. As a Christian from a non-typical background, I am enamored with God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit in me. Combining these elements was my inspiration,” said Felipez.

Felipez’s art was featured in both the 2015 and the 2016 shows, and her Vaya con Dios piece sold at the 2016 exhibit. Given this previous success, there is a good chance that Felipez could be invited to submit her work for the show again in the future.

To see other pieces from the 2016 exhibit, visit the Arte Latino Now Facebook page.

Posted August 11, 2016.