New Worlds @ Recspec Gallery

Happy to be a part of Recspec Gallery’s summer show, New Worlds at The Museum of Human Achievement in Austin, TX.

From the curator, Laurel Barickman —

These days, we’re consistently hearing about how we’re living in a “new world” - but what does that mean? 

In what ways has our reality shifted, our planet, our universe, our interior world, even our direct surroundings? An individual’s new world could be as simple as the space they inhabit, or perhaps a new city, state, or country. Or is this new world something undulating and shifting under the surface, a vague change that is hard to pinpoint but pervasive? 

What would a new world that we want to live in look like? What landscapes would it have, what color is the sky? When our world is used up, where will we go? Is a better world possible?

While creating this work I spent my studio time listening to Rebecca Solnit’s 2022 book, Orwell’s Roses. Described as “A lush exploration of politics, roses, and pleasure, and a fresh take on George Orwell as an avid gardener whose political writing was grounded by his passion for the natural world”, I was channeling the grief and my own need for grounding after doom scrolling through the images of the latest horrors out of Palestine.

As we individually and collectively reckon with our role in genocide, I am hungry to learn from other artists for ways in which we can & have harnessed the power of vision to build a better world. While we plead with our elected officials and wake up each morning hoping that the news will be Palestine is free, being in community with others is the only way forward. Thanks to Laurel for inviting me to be in this exhibition with so many other hopeful and strong-willed artists! 

Artwork is available online at Recspec Gallery—for inquiries, contact Recspec Gallery gallery@recspec.co.

Contemporary Ex-Votos: Devotion Beyond Medium @ The Barrick Museum of Art, University of Nevada at Las Vegas

Just returned from installing and celebrating the opening of the third iteration of Contemporary Ex-Votos: Devotion Beyond Medium at The Marjorie Barrick Museum at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas.

On the heels of our hemisphere’s recent celestial event of a total eclipse, it was a joy to revisit my site-specific installation—A tourist in a dream—consisting of 25 collage works on handmade paper co-mingled with devotional imagery excerpted from the ex-votos collection at New Mexico State University (NMSU) & found images of heavenly actualities of planets and far-flung galaxies.

Photo by Krystal Ramirez. Courtesy of The Barrick Museum of Art at The University of Nevada at Las Vegas.

Photo by Krystal Ramirez. Courtesy of The Barrick Museum of Art at The University of Nevada at Las Vegas.

When researching for this exhibition, I was particularly interested in how ex-votos operate as visual testaments of gratitude & reflections on daily life, as well as a means for ordinary folks to find clarity during challenging times in their personal lives and the social and political atmosphere of their daily existence. This desire for objectivity and clarity through artmaking resonates with me as I continue my own artmaking practice during the complex emotional and physical landscape of global unrest and suppression of human rights. 

This journey of artistic synthesis is ongoing and doing it in public and in community is the only path forward that I can see and I am always grateful for the opportunities to do so. Thank you to curator Dr. Emmanuel Ortega for believing in me & always being down to share your significant wisdom. Shout out to the amazing staff at UNLV under Alisha Kerlin for their enthusiastic cooperation to make this version come to life. Once again, BIG CONGRATS to all the artists who I continually source deep wells of  inspiration from Justin Favela, Eric J. García, Francisco Guevara, Dan45 Hernandez, Juan Molina Hernández, John Jota Leaños, Guadalupe Maravilla, Yvette Mayorga, Daisy Quezada Ureña, Krystal Ramirez, Sandy Rodriguez, and José Villalobos.    

Contemporary Ex-Votos: Devotion Beyond Medium on view APRIL 19 — NOV 23, 2024 at The Marjorie Barrick Museum in Las Vegas, NV.

Xochi Solis on Site-Specific Installations

Recently I got the chance to expand upon my interest in large-scale works and site-specific installations, plus some of my favorite projects over the last 10 years.

The most exciting thing about being invited to create a site-specific installation is that I get the opportunity to fully engage with the architectural space that will house the final large-scale collage. It is unique to my installation practice that I get to inhabit the same space as the viewer. As I adhere the work layer by layer directly to the wall, I get to ruminate on every detail of a space. From the light hitting the wall at a particular hour to the number of electrical outlets and switch plates, each element has its role in the construction of the layers of my work and how the viewer will receive it upon its completion.

Check out the entire read here. Thanks to the folks from Uprise Art for always helping me amplify my work & my process!

Art on Paper | September 2023

I exhibited big, beautiful collage works this past September 7—10 as part of Art on Paper on Pier 36 NYC. It was a wonderful collection of work from myself, Jackson Joyce and one of my favorite artists Rachel Levit Ruiz. Much appreciation to Uprise Art for putting us all together for the weekend fair.

These are the first to come out of my new studio and I’m so happy with them. More studio images coming soon!
⁣

Artwork is available at Uprise Art—for inquiries, contact advisors@upriseart.com.

Contemporary Ex-Votos: Devotion Beyond Medium @ New Mexico State University

We finally celebrated the opening of Contemporary Ex-Votos: Devotion Beyond Medium at New Mexico State University!

Over the last 18 months, my brain has been occupied by devotional art & the role that artists hold within communities through the creation of these objects. Taking what I have learned about these works, I continue to ponder & shape my current practice around a system of production that best upholds my individual experiences, history, environment, and politics (thank you Kris Chau for her recent words about this topic!)

The final site-specific installation—A tourist in a dream—is a warm and inviting corner of the museum consisting of 25 collage works on handmade paper carefully situated between digitally printed images of ex-votos found at NMSU & at the Museo Regional de Guanajuato Alhóndiga de Granaditas. There are layers upon layers of hand-marbled paper, colored paper, and found images including a vinyl album cover of devotional songs written & performed by my paternal grandfather—Raúl Reyes Solís—a devout Baptist preacher & artist in his own right.

As an outsider to Catholicism, I often feel like a tourist in this religious space, a sensation that is in line with other aspects of my experience as a Tejana living & working in the Borderlands. Folks expect a person of Mexican heritage to behave a certain way & I am beyond elated to be a part of an exhibition by all Latine artists—all of us possessing & welding our own unique voice & talents, despite what is expected of us.

Thank you to curator Dr. Emmanuel Ortega for believing in me & always being down to share your significant wisdom. s/o to Joshua (Gomez) León for his exuberance & brilliant mind. Major gratitude to the staff at NMSU Art Museum, especially Marisa Sage who worked tirelessly to elevate us. Lots of love & a BIG CONGRATS to all the artists Justin Favela, Eric J. García, Francisco Guevara, Dan45 Hernandez, Juan Molina Hernández, John Jota Leaños, Guadalupe Maravilla, Yvette Mayorga, Daisy Quezada Ureña, Krystal Ramirez, Sandy Rodriguez, and José Villalobos.    

On view SEPT 30 — DEC 22, 2022 at New Mexico State University Art Museum.

Artist in Residence @ WRONG Marfa

Writing to share this summer I had the privilege to extend beyond my home studio in Austin and spend three weeks in West Texas. Vaccinated and curious about what life means after a year wrapped in worry and fixated on digital screens to keep myself company, this summer I dedicated myself to the social experiment of conviviality in 2021.⁣

While I laid out my studio at WRONG Marfa for the month of August, I was super drawn to the color 𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘢 𝘮𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘰. It shows up a lot in the little Tex-Mex border town, but it’s also a physical manifestation of how raw and squishy I’ve been feeling on the inside.

The painted floors of the WRONG Marfa studio space.

The vibrating halo around the heartache of these past few months has been colored bright by knowing that I am not alone and living a small town life was a wonderful reminder of the importance of community and quiet time to reflect. During my time in Marfa, I tried to remind myself to perform less as the artist others might want me to be and to just be the artist that I am at this moment.

Artists are ever changing by nature prompted to adapt by our creative force and nothing has induced this adaptation with more ferocity than the last year and a half. For me it has taken quiet solitude in nature to realign myself with the current reality of what being a creative, cultural producer actually means for me at this moment. I made a healthy amount of work that is now on view at WRONG until the end of September 2021, if you find yourself in the area. If Marfa is not in the cards for you anytime soon, I’ll be adding the new work to my inventory with Uprise Art in the coming months.

A self portrait against the wall of my studio space in Marfa. I made it a point to pin up found images that illustrated the West Texas flora and fauna.

Some of my favorite things were long drives in the Trans-Pecos region, picnics and very easy hikes in Big Bend, BBQ, outdoor showers, meeting new friends & catching up with old ones, stargazing, sleeping in, uninterrupted hours in the studio, record digging for Tejano éxitos, farmer’s markets, fancy cocktails, seeing a javelina in the wild, smelling wet creosote after the rain, and being with my partner and pup on isolated trails talking about birds and bugs we found along the way.

Studio wall covered in found images with a few records I found while in West Texas.

My partner and my pup.

Big Bend National Park.

Little by little, we are all re-entering the world soft and cautious like a butterfly on its first time out of its cocoon.⁣ Como siempre, the gratitude I feel to be alive and working goes deep. Thank you to my creative community far and wide for inspiring me to be brave & strong and above all, always imagining. Take it one step at a time, friends.⁣

Inside the WRONG Marfa storefront.

And if you ever find yourself in Marfa, Texas, don’t miss the opportunity to support small businesses like @miramarfa, @marfabookco at @shopfreda, @marfabrands, @cactusliquors, @marfaartsupply and more. Travelers help keep the heart of their town beating, so throw a little coin in their cash registers, folks.⁣

The sweet exit sign from the Fort Davis State Park.

Impressions of Her @ Glass Rice

As much as opening receptions always felt like an awkward way to introduce myself to stranger, I sincerely miss the opportunity to ping pong around a room with other artists & art admirers. Especially at group exhibitions, where you are intermingled with creatives you’ve most likely never met before, from places you may have never been, all tied together through a curatorial vision that *fingers crossed* offers every artist the opportunity to shine & sometimes lifelong artist dialogues begin.

Though not quite the same, this spring I joined San Francisco gallery Glass Rice for their annual group show—Impressions of Her—celebrating eight women artists & have already made a few new friends.

From the gallery, “Now more than ever, effective and compelling visual language feels increasingly important and necessary when it comes to communicating with one another. In a time where facial expressions are only half visible and physical ways of interacting with one another are few and far between, it has become imperative that we develop alternative modes to connect, support and inspire.

Through symbols, color, mark-making and movement, the artists in Impressions of Her have each created new work during this ongoing global pandemic as a means to communicate a plethora of emotions and experiences during this time; loss, hope, nostalgia, joy, and perseverance to name a few. Through their intuitive work, we are reminded of distant environments, poignant sensations and whispers of narratives that can mirror our own.”

Impressions of Her features artists Karina Bania, Maja Dlugolecki, Fernanda Martinez, Thai Mainhard, Carmen Mcnall, Eileen Noonan, Xochi Solis & Brie Noel Taylor

On view now through March 27 & the gallery is open by appt for those friends that are in the Bay Area & fancy a safe art outing. Email the gallery at info@glassrice.com to reserve a time to see the exhibition. Reservations only. Masks absolutely required and hand sanitizer on entry.

Thank you to Cecilia Chia for continuing to support my work through your gallery’s exhibitions & of course to the other artists, I am honored to be working with you & look forward to sharing a space with you again in the future—though maybe with fancy outfits & a cool beverage to sip on. Congrats!

Tejas Made: 40 Emerging Texas-based Artists To Know

Just an appreciation post for the care & critical eye that has gone into creating the epic Remezcla multimedia project—Tejas Made. This online effort explores snapshots of Tejas’ past, present and different possible futures made by Texans about Tejas. Covering topics ranging from what reproductive rights look like for Latines in TX, to the origin of five Tex-Mex staples, I am honored to be included in their latest feature highlighting the work of 40 Texas-based artists.

Check out their wide range of offerings plus an interactive art gallery spotlighting their picks for 40 artists to know in the Lone Star State.

Proud to be in good company with talented amigxs: 

Natalia Rocafuerte

Maribel Falcón

Michael Menchaca

Paloma Mayorga

Vladimir Mejia

Jasmine Zelaya

& super keen on learning about new artists, too.

Left to Right: Xochi Solis & Irene Reece

Mil gracias to the Remezcla contributors writer Barbara Calderón, editor Ecleen Luzmila Caraballo & producer Itzel Alejandra Martinez.

#TejasMade

Artist in Residence @ UT Austin

Excited to begin my 6 week residence at The University of Texas at Austin this month! As an alumna and the previous director of public programming at the Dept of Art & Art History’s Visual Arts Center, it was strange to step foot back on campus after being gone almost 4 years—the strangeness was only exacerbated by the eeriness that has descended upon the university since the COVID-19 pandemic has put in-person courses on hold. However, the solitude is perfect to begin a new body of work and within a few hours of arriving and getting reacquainted with the smell of institutional art spaces, my studio was all set up on overlooking the campus green.

In partnership with the Department of Art and Art History, UT Austin's Studio Art pre-college summer program Summer ST.ART invited me as its inaugural artist-in-residence this summer. The ST.ART Artist in Residence Program exposes students to career possibilities through regular interactions with local artists, collectives, historians, curators and more. In exchange for studio access at the University I will be mentoring high school students and leading weekly workshops over Zoom to give insight into my process later this summer. For now, I am enjoying being in a giant art studio with copious amounts of air conditioning and wall space.

I’ll share studio images soon, but for now visit the ST.ART page for an interview with yours truly to learn more about the program and what I hope students will gain from time together :)

BROWN ARTISTS FOR BLACK POWER

Are there ways you can actively change yourself to make the world safer for Black, Indigenous, People of Color? It’s a hard look at yourself and the people around you—your circumstances, your privilege, your blessings.

It can’t be done in one day or just on days when death & grieve fill your heart heavy. It’s an ongoing re-education project. It’s a daily action and commitment to do better, it’s not simply a display of shock. the change starts within.

This week I have been spending time researching, reading, listening, and donating. If you need guidance, I am humbly sharing resources below for further education and funding streams to support our Black sisters & brothers.

RESOURCES FOR BLACK WOMEN & TRANS FOLKS

#BBATX PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES FOR ANTI-RACISM WORK

CHULITA VINYL CLUB BLM RESOURCES FOR TX & CA

“WAYS YOU CAN HELP” PAGE OF BLACK LIVES MATTER

#brownartistsforblackpower #blackandbrownunity #solidaridad #standingjuntos

Rooted by invisible means @ Galveston Arts Center

Seems radical to promote optimism when the air is thick with grief and worry, but thinking hard about the role one artist, like me, can have in the center of something so enveloping, it feels like it’s all I have to offer. I am hopeful in the coming weeks that we will be able to create new work—however we best express ourselves, in whatever field we excel in—with the deliberate use of the knowledge gained during this period.

It is with this in mind that I take my first trip to create artwork site specifically as part of a summer exhibition at the Galveston Arts Center.

Xochi Solis’ exhibition, Rooted by invisible means, includes collage-based works that reveal underlying layers of the artist’s environment and influences. Constructed in two dimensions from layers of paint, paper, and plastics, Solis’ abstract forms play with dimensional space and the circular shape of portals or ellipses. This exhibition includes monoprints, works on paper, and large-scale wall works created specifically for the Galveston Arts Center Brown Foundation Gallery.

The shifts that the art center and its curators have made to keep this project and its entire exhibition calendar and commitments going are herculean. I begin this new chapter of artmaking with an open mind, stay tuned.

Remedies for a Generation: Xochi Solis & Rachel Levit Ruiz

A year in the making, I am humbled to present a collection of new work meant to be experienced as a conversation between two artists—myself and Rachel Levit Ruiz.

“Uprise Art is proud to present Remedies for a Generation, an online exhibition of new works on paper by Xochi Solis and Rachel Levit Ruiz that reflect on the artists’ respective Mexican heritage and notions of the body, regeneration, and health. Through juxtapositions of common and uncommon imagery, both artists build visions that operate under the logic of dreams or surrealism - a world where reality and myth exist side by side.

Xochi Solis’ newest works reflect her ongoing practice of layering handmade paper, painted plastics, and found materials such as vintage travel books from Mexico and the Southwestern US. These newest works take inspiration from both the natural and man made environment of Mexico, specifically iconic Mexican architecture, like Juan O’Gorman’s Biblioteca Central at UNAM and the Anahuacalli Museum that houses Diego Rivera’s pre-Colombian art collection. Both structures make use of vibrant, natural materials endemic to Mexico, such as colored stones and volcanic rock. Native to Texas, Solis found that working with these found images recalled her initial exploration of her Mexican heritage as a child, as well as her continued desire to find images of people that look like her, and the wonder and awkwardness she feels today in relation to identity. Solis pairs these complex compositions with toned mat boards to create reflective works that approach themes of metamorphosis, regeneration, and succession, seeking a way to bridge this disconnect, like a scar heals a wound.”

This exhibition was originally intended for the walls of Legion SF (thank you, Sydney!), but with the global shift we have all undergone, the work is now available to view & purchase online at Uprise Art & Artsy. Massive thank you to my UA team for making this shift and allowing this work to be shared. Gracias a Rachel, eres una inspiración continua. 

Xochi Solis x COS London

ACROSS THE POND! Happy to report I have a small & cheery selection of works on display at the new COS flagship store at Coal Drops Yard in King’s Cross, London. The space looks divine and if you’re lucky enough to be enjoying London now through mid-November, please pop in for me to say hello to them. Thank you to my Uprise Art team for making this happen. Cheers! 

Patreon & Me

The only thing I love as much as making artwork, is collecting and spinning vinyl records as my alter ego Mira Mira. I am super lucky to be thriving in both arenas over the last 3 years and I most of the time I am able to make ends meet. I've set up a Patreon page to help my DJ collection grow and to compensate the hours of loving labor I put into my DJ career. I am eager to try out this platform for creatives to directly reach and monetize their contributions.

HOW IT WORKS

Each patron signs up at whatever price point meets their budget (can be as little as $1 a month!) and in return will unlock special all vinyl mixtapes with complete song lists they can download for keeps. I created one this weekend with vinyl collected from my recent visit to Mexico City and it's the perfect summer mix for your road trip cross country or your trip to the pool.

Thank you for your support! 

Pop Up Exhibit at the LINE Hotel Austin

Happy to announce that this summer I will have new work on view at the LINE Hotel's Austin location!

Taking inspirtation from the beautifual and tranquil landmark of Austin's Town Lake, I contributed more than 100 original pieces to their guest rooms in 2017 and for this summer I return with a handful of new works to exhibit in their new East Lobby Gallery until the end of August.

I rarely get the pleasure of showing work in my hometown, so it's a real treat to get the chance to showcase works fresh out of the studio onto the walls of such a luxurious venue. If you live in Austin (or are planning a visit) pop into their spot to catch a delicious coffee at Alfred or a cocktail on their rooftop bar P6, really all their amenties are A++.

Working with the hotel has been a dream and I am 100% behind their efforts to make their swanky spot the go-to hang out for Austinites and foreign travelers alike. Their emphasis on placekeeping and amplifying local talent is a refreshing stance for an out-of-town hotel chain and I really appreciate it as a native to the city.

If you are curious to hear more about my work with the LINE, take a listen to an interview I did with Full Service Radio, the hotel's community podcast network and internet radio station broadcasting live from a standalone radio studio located inside the lobby of the LINE DC. Their station features over 30 hosts and shows with dynamic programming that spans across art and culture, food and drink, and music and they have a special selection of other Austin conversations linked to their station's home page. Thanks!

10 Aesthetics of Joy x Uprise Art

“Vibrant, saturated colors enliven the space around them, so much so that they can even influence us on a physiological level. This is the energy aesthetic. Research shows that people working in brighter, more colorful offices are more alert, confident, and friendly than those in drab spaces. As the German painter Johannes Itten wrote, ‘Color is life; for a world without it appears to us as dead.’”

— Ingrid Fetell Lee, author of Joyful

Ingrid Fetell Lee, quoted above, is the author of Joyful and has traveled around the globe studying how environments affect happiness. In her book, she identifies 10 Aesthetics of Joy and how making small changes can bring joy to everyday routines. Lee curated a special collection at Uprise Art according to the 10 aesthetics of joy from her new book and my work Slow Dazzle was selected to reflect ENERGY. Fitting, yes?

To see all of Lee's picks visit Uprise's site here.

I am a DJ, I am what I play

Creating a set and setting a mood sonically isn’t unlike making a visual composition for me. Found images = found sounds. As Mira Mira—my DJ persona—I get to make sound collages and be the public performer I always wanted to be. Keep on eye on my DJ MIXES page to listen to all my vinyl mixes made especially for your enjoyment.

Major props to la mera mera Laurel Barickman aka RECSPEC for my most awesome logo.

REVIEW: Mujeres del Sur / Women of The South Group Exhibition

“Movement through five major mediums in a sunshined filled shiplap gallery space, “Mujeres del Sur / Women of The South”, is a group exhibition that encompasses fifteen contemporary Latina artists living and working in Southern Texas, well curated by Theresa Escobedo. Before one even delves into the various works within the space, one can already sense the balance between their honored heritage and their current home just by the title. This exhibition isn’t simply a collection of women artists. It isn’t just a visual interlude of Latin culture either. ”

Honored to be amongst such incredible talent and to have the support of curator Theresa Escobedo at The Union HTX. Even remotely, I have felt the love of the 14 other artists and hope our paths all cross soon, because no doubt we have SO MUCH to talk about as we navigate this art world. It's been a busy fall, but I am hoping to make it to Houston to check out the show in all its glory before it closes on November 24. Thank you Meghan Hendley Lopez of the The Houston Review for your critical eye!

A Big Important Art Book (Now With Women)

NOW ON SHELVES!  A BIG IMPORTANT ART BOOK (NOW WITH WOMEN): Profiles of Unstoppable Female Artists--and Projects to Help You Become One  by the formidable Danielle Krysa aka The Jealous Curator is ALIVE!

I feel like I’ve known Danielle now forever and she was one of my very first internet champions, sharing my work and kind words on her blog years ago. Now the second book we've worked on together, this beautiful book energizes and empowers women, both artists and amateurs alike, by providing them with projects and galvanizing stories to ignite their creative fires. Each chapter leads with an assignment that taps into the inner artist, pushing the reader to make exciting new work and blaze her own artistic trail. Interviews, images, and stories from contemporary women artists at the top of their game provide added inspiration, and historical spotlights on art “herstory” tie in the work of pioneering women from the past.

Congrats to Danielle and the other 44 artists found inside this awesome compendium of talent. Find your copy at Running Press, Amazon or at any fine purveyor of print near you!

Women Artists Five

The fifth volume of Women Artists is hot off the presses and ready to get into your hot little hands. A long time in the making, it was a pleasure to work with the ultra talented photographer Valerie Chiang and the fine women behind the publication. Grab your’s today by visiting their website and while you’re at it, snag one of their MEN HAVE MADE A LOT OF BAD ART tees, because you know it’s not not true, ha.

Women Artists, is an annual(ish) publication profiling women working in the contemporary arts. This issue features Alison Baitz, Sister Wendy (Wendy Beckett), Tanya Brodsky, Valerie Chiang, Sharleen Chidiac, Angella D’Avignon, DIRT Collective, Dayna Evans, Ana Leovy, Caroline Tompkins and Xochi Solis.

Edited by Tricia Gilbride and Caroline Knowles. Designed by Naomi Elliott.

Tabloid sized (11.5”x15") 
48 pages, full-color newsprint