Jessica M. Gutiérrez and Issis Macias will be the Bridge Work: Madison artists for the 2023-2025 program cycle. Bridge Work provides critical opportunities for emerging artists to broaden the scope of their professional connections and experiences. This multi-state project also endeavors to forge a more interconnected arts community throughout the region by facilitating meaningful artistic exchanges and dialogs among artists and art-centered organizations and professionals. Jessica M. Gutiérrez has created a body of work that tells a story about the impact of immigration on communities of color in the United States. She conveys this story through the lens of her family’s immigration story from Nicaragua to Central Wisconsin. "For me, creating art is a sacred healing practice," Jessica explains in her artist statement, "My hope is that through creating this body of work, I will be able to transform some of my own pain and support healing in our family lineage while also making a difference in the lives of those who relate to the stories." Issis Macias states that her creative journey first-generation Mexican American artist from Los Angeles is deeply rooted in her community and the diverse array of artists that she has encountered. She uses acrylic and oil pastels on canvas to explore the interplay of color, shape, and markings in order to achieve emotive expressions. "I often employ a contrasting pictorial structure composed of squares and rectangles, which helps to convey a visual unity within my work," Issis explains, "In engaging with my art, I encourage viewers to contemplate and connect with their own emotions and experiences." Jessica and Issis join the 2022-2024 Bridge Work artists, Taj Matumbi and Elizabeth Sheeler. In addition to professional development opportunities and studio visit discussions with the Arts + Literature Laboratory (ALL) visual arts curatorial board, Bridge Work artists have exhibition opportunities at ALL and at participating arts venues. Learn More
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