A DREAM CALLED HOME

Our 2023 Call for Art is inspired by an award-winning Mexican-American author, Reyna Grande’s memoir A Dream Called Home. Reyna’s memoir is about the courage to fulfill the deep desire to have a stable home, a dream she realized by daring to pursue it. By deriving inspiration from Reyna’s memoir, the artists in this called got the opportunity and platform to share their stories that reflect and/or connect with the life/home that communities of color continue to pursue in this country. Six of the selected artists below are a part of our Creative Point Neighbor program, which provided Salem residents the opportunity to create their own murals with a mentor artist.

Emily Kwong

My Father’s Keeper

Margarita Krylova

Last Night Precipice

Nick Pinciaro

Home Cooked Meals Feed the Soul

Llemonmoss

Hiraeth

Vicky Ortega

Growth

Joshua Beckett

Growth

Katherine Castillo

Eternamente Bienvenida

TJ Gansenberg

Detachment

Tatiana Rivas & Armani Lewis, Tatianna Rivas

Coming Together

Meet Creative Point Neighbor and Lead Artist Yuko Okabe

Yuko Okabe (she/they) is an artist playing at the intersection of youthful whimsy and community engagement. As an illustrator, their depiction of people and architecture establishes a world with boundless potential for different bodies, languages, and philosophies to flourish. They believe that art and design elevates systems to more inclusive and caring possibilities. Okabe holds a BFA in Illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). Their illustration practice received recognition from the Society of Illustrators NYC, Society of Illustrators LA, Creative Quarterly, and 3×3 The Magazine of Contemporary Illustration. Through grants and fellowships, Okabe’s community arts practice received support from the New England Foundation for the Arts, Tufts University Collective Futures Fund, Rhode Island School of Design’s Maharam STEAM Fellowship, and the Enterprise Community Partners’ Rose Fellowship.

See their portfolio HERE!