Zacatecas
Artist: Isabel Lobato Vicencio
Artist statement:
I am extremely proud of my Mexican cultural heritage from Zacatecas, Mexico! My artwork depicts the “talavera” ceramic tile that is seen in many homes in Zacatecas since the late 16th century. Zacatecas, Mexico is where my maternal grandparents were born. Zacatecas is best known for the richness of art in their museums, the rich deposits of silver and other minerals in their mines as well as for its colonial architecture. It is also known for its agriculture, particularly its grains and sugar cane. With its sugar cane, it produces beverages like rum, pulque and mescal. I love eating our Mexican foods too such as rice, beans, enchiladas, and pozole! I am most proud of speaking Spanish and maintaining many of my grandparents’ traditions such as making tamales and buñuelos during the Christmas holidays, celebrating the Virgen de Guadalupe every year on December 12th with religious songs and prayers, eating “pan de muerto” on the Day of the Dead, receiving gifts and written letters from the Three Wise Men on January 6th and eating a “rosca” (delicious ring-shaped bread roll with dried fruit on the top), and celebrating Quinceañeras with a traditional waltz dance (15th Birthdays).
My roots are embedded in Watsonville because my father Alfonso, my twin sister Mariana and I were born and raised here. It’s the town where both my father Alfonso and mother Mariza were raised; they are third generation Watsonvillians. I feel great pride in saying that I belong to this wonderful Watsonville community. Watsonville is a place where people from different backgrounds are welcomed. Many here have lived for many decades. For this reason, Watsonville is a place that provides me the opportunity to grow as a student, a citizen, and become an outstanding leader. I enjoy helping others and I am grateful to those who have helped me when necessary. I have a very supportive community here in Watsonville from various people; my parents, my sister, my extended family, my friends, my peers, and my teachers from Alianza Charter School and Watsonville High School.
I always enjoyed drawing for fun and had never considered myself as an artist before. When my artwork was selected, I was very proud of this great honor and had never thought it would ever cross my mind. It has been a privilege to be considered a public artist and be recognized by my community as such. I feel a great responsibility to continue to represent my cultural background and Watsonville community in my future plans as an artist. Thank you Watsonville Brillante for this recognition!
Sponsorship available
Current and Former residents of Watsonville that share this cultural heritage:
- Bautista
- Cruz
- Escobedo
- Dutra
- Flores
- Jara
- Gonzalez
- Guevara
- Gutierrez
- Haas
- Hernandez
- Magana
- Martinez
- Medrano
- Mendez
- Puentes
- Robles
- Rosales
- Tavarez
- Willy
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