Healing with Dr. George: The Power of Chicano/Latinx Art

Armando Durón: Healing Through Collecting

Armando Durón has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Loyola Marymount University and a law degree from U.C.L.A. He and his wife Mary have been collecting Chicano art of Los Angeles since 1981. They have one of the most extensive collections in the country. Unlike most collectors, Armando is a sought-out expert in the field. He is constantly consulted by scholars and community activists about every aspect of Chicano art. He has been active in the area, not only as a collector, but as a supporter and attorney for artists, and a member of the board of various arts organizations , including the Social and Public Arts Resource Center (SPARC), the Latino Theatre Company, Self Help Graphics and Art, Inc, and the Vincent Price Art Museum. SPARC named its gallery the “Durón Gallery” as a tribute for his contributions. Durón has organized a dozen art exhibitions, including “Other Footprints to Aztlan,” “A Short Essay on Chicano Photography” and “Time Refocused: The Photographs of Luis Garza.” Durón has written extensively on the topic, participated on a variety of panels at the Latino Art Now conferences, he taught a class at UCLA, “Chicana Art and Artists.” He is currently organizing another exhibition on the photographic works of Luis Garza for the Riverside Art Museum.   https://latinoarte.com/ 

Yolanda Gonzalez: Generational Healing Through Art

Yolanda Gonzalez is an award winning, Los Angeles based Chicana artist who works in ceramics, drawing, and painting.  She is a descendant of a family of artists, whose work can be traced back to 1877. At age 7, Yolanda received a paint set from her grandmother, which started her interest in the arts. Her work has been exhibited in museums and galleries throughout the United States, Mexico, Spain, Japan, Scotland, and South Africa, to name a few. Yolanda currently works out of her studio space Ma Art Gallery in Alhambra, CA.  https://latinoarte.com/ 

Angelina Saenz: Healing Through Poetry

Angelina Saenz is an award-winning public teacher and poet whose work focuses on memory, women, and motherhood. She is a UCLA Writing Fellow, an alumna of the Voices Workshop for Writers of Colors, and a Macondo Writer’s Workshop Fellow.Her poetry has appeared in multiple prestigious publications. She hosts a monthly poetry reading at the Avenue 50 Studio in Los Angeles.Her debut book of poetry was Edgecliff was released in December 2021, with Flower Song Press. https://latinoarte.com/ 

Elsa Almaraz: Healing From Grief Through Art

Elsa Flores demonstrated interest in arts from a very young age. She grew up in East Los Angeles. She studied photography at California State University Los Angeles and afterwards enrolled at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. While at the Art Center, she taught art and music education at Plaza de la Raza with artist Carlos Almaraz and Louie Pérez and David Hidalgo of Los Lobos. Flores occasionally performed with Los Lobos.Her artistic credits include approximately 12 solo exhibits, and over 32 group exhibitions, throughout all of the United States and Mexico.Elsa’s most recent project was as the Co-Director, Writer, Executive Producer, and Art Director for the documentary film about her late husband Carlos Almaraz. The film titled, Carlos Almaraz: Playing with Fire” is available on Netflix. This extraordinary work is Elsa’s loving tribute to the memory and art of Carlos. 

Louie Perez, of Los Lobos: Healing Through Music

Louie Perez is one of the founding members of the 5-time Grammy award winning musical group Los Lobos. Founded in 1973, Louie has functioned as a percussionist, drummer, guitarist, singer, and lyricist for Los Lobos. Louie has been the art director and artistic supervisor on many of the Los Lobos albums. In 2019, Louie wrote a book, “Good Morning Aztlan: The Words, Pictures, and Songs of Louie Perez.” (Available on Amazon). In 2021 he was named a National Heritage Fellow by the National Endowment for the Arts for his role as a songwriter and storyteller.Louie is also a visual artist and has shown his paintings and sculptures since 1975. His work has been exhibited in prominent galleries and museums including the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, the Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions, (LACE), Plaza De La Raza in Los Angeles, El Museo del Barrio in New York, the San Antonio Museum of Art, Museo de Arte Modern in Mexico City, and the Vincent Price Art Museum in East Los Angeles.