By Jane Vick
Good morning, darlings! Happiest of Wednesdays, as ever. Anything exciting to report? I’ve actually been in my new Oakland home for a whole entire week—it’s been some kind of tremendous weather here, my gosh. No shade on San Francisco—no pun intended—but Oakland certainly does seem to be blue skied, even when it’s a gray fogscape over the Golden Gate. A girl could get used to these days! And it seems like it’s almost swimsuit season…cute!
To this week’s “Look,” then! Alejandro Salazar. Originally from Colima, Mexico, Salazar, a somewhat prolific artist, has a wide diversity of work, including painting, ceramics, and lately, clothing. His wearable work was actually featured on the cover of last week’s Bohemian, being modeled by Cincinnatus Hibbard for the upcoming North Bay Fashion Ball, where yes, Salazar’s clothing work will be debuted. The NBFB’s goal of showcasing local talent has not been in vain—I’m consistently amazed at how many incredible artists and designers we have in the area.
Salazar didn’t go to art school. In his words: “I took a few art classes, but most of my learning happens in the studio, kitchen table, looking, asking, failing and fixing, reading, observing, analyzing and focusing on the artists that interested me.”
He began painting later in life, after a career as an engineer, and says that in his art—which is reminiscent of the Mexican Muralists and the Surrealists, with his own inimitable flair—he seeks to connect with people, and to dialogue with mystery. Putting his imagery onto clothing came naturally to him, he said.
“I am not transitioning away from anything—for me it is just another media. In the end, it’s all fabric. During Covid, I would wear my art, and people connected and reacted, so I just kept doing it.”
Salazar’s wearable art is super stylish, and I can’t recommend it more. The sentiment of his image on clothing produces something that’s truly a statement. Salazar’s work can be viewed at Calabi Gallery in Santa Rosa, and his wearable pieces can be found for sale at Gallery 300 in The Barlow. He also welcomes visitors to his home studio. Email him at a.*************@gm***.com for an invitation!
Looking phenomenal, everyone.
See you next week!
Love,
Jane
Jane Vick is an artist and writer currently based in Oakland. She splits her time between Europe, New York and New Mexico. View her work and contact her at janevick.com.
