'Madrecitas' small artwork exhibit comes to Fallbrook Library

FALLBROOK – On Sept. 4, the eighth edition of “Madrecitas” will arrive at the Fallbrook Library. It will be on display until Nov. 4.

This Latino art exhibit, curated by Daniel Marquez, will host artists like Pavel Acevedo, Maricela Alvarado, Luis Alderete, Esau Andrade, Enrique Aviles, Pablo Castaneda, Carlos Castrejon, Aida Corral, L.A. Curiel, Joseph Curiel, Verónica Leiton, Mario A. Rodriguez, Fernando Rivas, Mariela Paniagua, Jorge Estrada, Robin Staton, Minerva Torres Guzman, Sergio Gaitan, Alfonso Higareda, Juan Hernandez, Luis Guillermo Hernandez, Saguaro, Eduardo Kintero, Star27, and Colectivo Baku among others.

The word “mother” has many meanings in Mexican slang. "Madre" means "mother," but it can also mean a "thing" so “Madrecitas” means “little mothers” or, in this case, “little things.”

The “Madrecitas” project was born from a conversation about art between Mexicali CETYS Universidad Art faculty teachers Odette Barajas and Bernardo Olmedo remembering elementary school when they created small arts and crafts gifts for Mother’s Day.

“Madrecitas” exhibits small format artworks such as drawings, paintings, illustrations, mixed media, prints, collages, digital illustrations, photographs, embroidery, sculptures and short films.

The first “Madrecitas” show happened in May 2009 (Mother’s Day month), at the CETYS University. The second “Madrecitas” Show 2010 was there as well.

The curator, Israel Ortega Castro of Baja California’s Cultural Institute (ICBC) in 2011, took the "Madrecitas" to Monaco Bar in Mexicali. In 2012, the show moved to the Art gallery “Artmosferas” in Mexicali.

The 2013 “Madrecitas” went to Casa de la Cultura in Mexicali, a building founded in 1916. Eighty artists participated and more than 300 art pieces were received with artists from México City, Hungary, Belgium, Japan, Italy and USA. During the opening day short films were projected from Proyector 2VEINTE22 (Mexico), Mailuki Films (Spain) and out of your Mind Films (USA).

That same year, “Madrecitas” crossed the border and was exhibited in the Ocotillo Desert Museum in California. The 2014 exhibit was presented at Imperial Valley College in California and 2015 at the Steppling Art Gallery at SDSU’s Calexico Campus, California.

The opening reception on Oct. 28 from 6 to 9 p.m. is free, open to all and will feature live music, Latino foods and wonderful art. Come meet the artists at Fallbrook Library, 124 S. Mission Rd.