Art by Alexis Antonio Jimenez
Written by Dani Ramirez
This week, we highlight the cultural and impactful art of Alexis Antonio Jimenez, a senior studio arts major. Jimenez enjoyed creating art as a child, drawing whenever he had the chance during class. Reflecting on his relationship with art, he said, “Over time it was a love-hate relationship. Eventually in college I took a required course and chose art because I thought it would be easy and fun. At the end of his class at Oxnard College, professor Christine Morla encouraged him to continue studying art. Morla’s support gave Jimenez the push he needed to pursue art more seriously. “Ever since then, my love and appreciation for art has really exploded,” he commented. Here at CI, he has continued to be inspired by those around him. “I have been inspired by Professor (Marianne) McGrath and Kiln Tech Carlos to create. Their dedication to the craft is intoxicating; it inspires me to challenge myself artistically and be a better artist,” he said.
“Self portrait” by Alexis Antonio Jimenez
One artist who has had an impact on the way Jimenez creates is Narsisso Martinez, a contemporary artist known for his painted works of farmworkers on produce boxes. “His work has been a big inspiration to me in the way I choose to speak about my experiences,” Jimenez mentioned. Jimenez finds that having the representation of agricultural life, as well as showing these struggles in everyday objects, is very impactful, much like how Martinez does when creating his produce box artworks. “His work inspired me to start my series ‘7 días a la semana’ where I depict farm workers throughout their day working in agriculture on produce boxes,” he added.
According to Jimenez, his art is a representation of cultural identity and home life. “I love representing my family in my work. When deciding what to paint, I like to reminisce on what my mom used to tell me as a kid: ‘Work with what you have,’” he said. Jimenez pushes the boundaries when it comes to art, using everyday objects as canvases, such as produce boxes and newspapers. He describes his artwork as expressive, using color and brushstrokes to bring out certain emotions.
“They never have what I want” by Alexis Antonio Jimenez
Community is also a big part of Jimenez’s art journey, allowing him to hone his skills and also being one of the main reasons he has been able to achieve all that he has, and has led him to where he is today. “From being raised in a small apartment as a first-generation Mexican American I think my parents’ open mind for full expression has allowed me to voice my thoughts and opinions in my art,” he added. Jimenez also mentioned how amazing it is that his family has shown their support throughout his whole artistic journey. “This is only the beginning and I am really grateful for all the great mentors and peers that have made me a better artist during my time in school,” Jimenez reminisced.
When creating art, Jimenez uses a variety of mediums. “I consistently like learning new mediums. I would consider myself a multidisciplinary artist. Some of my favorite mediums would be oil paint, clay, charcoal, pastel colors, screen printing, and photography,” he exclaimed. Jimenez finds that as long as he is creating, no matter the medium, he is doing what he loves and expressing himself along the way.
Some of his favorite works are the ones about one of his family members on produce boxes. “If I had to pick one, it would be one of my drawings of me and my late grandmother on produce. It depicts mainly the hard work people do and their ability to still love unconditionally to their loved ones,” Jimenez said. Creating this family representation in his work brings him much joy. His series of art using produce boxes has been evolving for a year now and improves with every new piece. “I am currently working on a larger piece. … This next work speaks more on the life struggles that farm workers face while doing this hard labor job,” he says with excitement for the work’s completion.
“Amor Incondicional” by Alexis Antonio Jimenez
Music and jujitsu also play a unique part in Jimenez’s creativity. Some of his favorite genres are hip-hop, regional Mexican music and UK rap. Eventually, he wants to learn how to play an instrument. “I really love music, for the most part anytime I’m anywhere I always have my headphones on,” he said. When it comes to jiujitsu, Jimenez mentioned that he became a big fan of the UFC. “I wanted to train in martial arts to gain confidence, and it has really helped me develop confidence and discipline that I apply in my everyday life and in creating art,” Jimenez said.
In the future, Jimenez wants to continue exhibiting his art so that it can be seen by others. Currently, he is an exhibiting artist in Ventura County, Calif. and hopes to expand to other areas. “I would also like to travel and do internships or residencies. … I would want to learn techniques I can apply in my ceramic practice from Japan, China (and) England. I would love to travel to different states in the US just doing what I love,” Jimenez said. Another one of his options for his future was to enroll in graduate school, where he could continue to improve upon his craft.
For Jimenez, art became a voice of expression. “Art to me is everything, growing up as a shy kid I never really felt like I had a voice. … I have discovered many flaws in my life and (art) allows me to become a better person, … going through turbulent times and still being able to create something beautiful brings me joy,” he stated. Art is more than just a kid’s activity to Jimenez, but something he sees as an outlet that allows him to put his experiences and feelings of how he sees the world on paper.
To view more of his artwork, please visit his Instagram page @Tired_art05!
