RESIDENT ARTISTS
Jacqueline Gonzalez Wooton
Puerto Rico
Jacqueline was born in Puerto Rico and raised in New Orleans, LA. Jackie, as she is mostly known, creates immersive and thought-provoking experiences through her work with mixed media and encaustics, where she incorporates found objects, vintage items and ephemera, found during her extensive travels around the world.
FEATURED ARTISTS
Jennifer Torres
Puerto Rico
Jennifer Torres was born in Queens, NY. As a teenager she took classes at the Art Students League in New York City and earned her BFA at the Cooper Union in NYC. Her focus was steel fabrication, casting, woodworking, and photography. After graduating from Cooper she trained as a fine cabinetmaker in New England, and spent time traveling around the US. She got her MFA from UGA in Athens in 2005. Ms. Torres has lived in Hattiesburg, MS since 1999 where she has her studio and teaches sculpture at The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. She has had many exhibits of her sculptures and installations around the country. Her largest public art commission, Garden Boast for Osage Park, is permanently installed at Osage Park in Bentonville, AR. In 2022 she was awarded the Mississippi Institute of Art and Letters Visual Artist of the year, and the MSA Masters Award.
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Simon Alvarez
United States
Simon is an undergraduate junior at William Carey University in pursuit of his BFA. His studies include sculpture, ceramics, drawing, and painting. There’s a great focus on the figure, as well as light and emotional quality of pose, light, and space.
His goal is to have the viewer empathize with his pieces. To feel the light and the space as if they were in the drawing themselves. He has focused on creating a figure that’s relatable and an atmosphere that’s alive.
Veronica Ponce De León
Mexico
Mexican by birth but gypsy at heart, she travels to surround herself and learn from other cultures. Theater artist, puppet, storyteller, papier mache and Mexican folk dance teacher. Collaborating with cultural institutions, non-profit organizations, community events and school programs for the last 30 years. Basing her art on creating paper mache figures with cardboard and reused paper.
Working in education to reaffirm, maintain or prevail the tradition and culture of diverse communities through art with academic and popular methods. She has participated and developed programs in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia, PA. and recently in Jackson,MS. Love to learn.
Rochikat
Mexico
Rochikat is Mexican artist experimenting with different mediums and techniques. Most importantly recycled materials and making functional art. She is inspired by indigenous cultures from all around the world, nature and folk tales. Her favorite creations are ‘nichos’ or miniatures where she creates whimsical worlds.