San Jose State students were taught ways to bring their art to life in an arts and craftivism event held in the Student Union.
The Cesar Chavez Community Action Center at SJSU, in collaboration with the Black Leadership and Opportunity Center, held the first Activism in Action Series, an event that highlighted how art can double as a means for change.
Guest speaker and illustrator Paige Mason said showcasing her art publicly is one of the ways she can playfully display Black faces.
“The piece I showed specifically – or a couple of the pieces – is also just bringing more faces into the world,” Mason said. “Black faces to be more specific.”
Mason showed numerous drawings in which she manipulated lines in an attempt to create different hairstyles on her characters.
She also presented drawings with characters who fluctuated in body type.
Mason said evoking a child-like mindset in those that view her work is one of the ways art can bolster acceptance rather than judgment.
“Being a kid you just make friends, it doesn’t really matter what they look like,” Mason said. “Naturally [people] will gravitate to who looks most like them, but it’s just that innocent curiosity and wonderment, what can I learn from this person without any judgment beforehand?”
Political science senior Luis Aquino said the event’s atmosphere was relaxing and gave him the opportunity to draw, something he doesn’t normally do.
“It was really fun,” Aquino said. “I mean, I’m not an art major, so I don’t take time to draw, so it was just a really fun way to unwind.”
Aquino said he felt a sense of community and was intrigued by Mason’s artistic journey.
“Being in this space and community with others and learning from the presenter's experience and background was definitely really inspiring,” he said.
Sociology senior Kimberly Guerrero said tapping into her inner child is important because dreams are rooted in childhood.
“I think connecting [to] your childhood is really difficult,” Guerrero said. “But it’s essential because I feel like all of our dreams live as children.”
Guerrero said keeping a positive demeanor in a world that is oftentimes exhausting is key to protecting her happiness.
She drew in the provided booklet alongside her friends, as Mason circled the room helping students decipher which shapes would best suit their drawings.
Guerrero said “centering joy” serves as a gentle reminder of the importance of self care and finding happiness through dark events in society.
“So many things are so draining,” she said. “I can't speak for other communities, but I think always being able to ground yourself again is really important.”
Illustrator Paige Mason said she struggled to connect salience with her fun-loving style of art because she didn’t want to undermine important issues during a crucial time for Black people in the United States.
One way she stayed true to her artistic style was by illustrating her children holding posters with messages such as “Black girl magic” and “Black boy joy.”
She said by doing this she was able to protest in a meaningful way without having to exploit any trauma.
“I don’t think I need to like show the trauma to make my message clear if that makes sense,” Mason said. “It’s just not where my art roots from, but I’m still going to make this point of view, you know, just stop hurting us, see us for who we are.”
She said one of the biggest fears she had was people not resonating with her art.
“Obviously I’m proud to be the color that I am,” Mason said. “But when it came to the general public, my thought was like they’re automatically going to see this character and they’re Black. They’re not going to be able to associate them with [anything].”
Mason said becoming more secure in herself as an artist helped her overcome this fear.
She said while she has been an artist for a long time, she still continues to learn about new ways to express her work and that being aware of the message she is sending is paramount.
“Obviously I don’t want to sugarcoat things or try to filter like ‘Oh there’s terrible things happening, but look at my cute drawing,’ ” Mason said. “So I knew I had to find some kind of bridge for that.”
