Elsa Flores
Encyclopedia
Elsa Flores is a Chicana artist. She is one of the best known Chicano street art movement propulsors.
, where Chicano
s comprise a large percentage of the state's population.
. Flores continued on with her studies at the California State University
and the Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts.
, a fellow Chicano who was part of the early Chicano street art movement. Almaraz was a member of the famed Los Four
artist collective. Elsa Flores and Carlos Almaraz eventually married
, and the two collaborated on one of the most famed Chicano murals, the "California Dreamscape". While Almaraz was already an icon among Chicanos because of his murals across California
(as part of Los Four and as a solo artist), "California Dreamscape" helped Flores become an icon herself among Chicano artists. "California Dreamscape". The 15' x 70' mural was commissioned by the California Arts Council and is exhibited at the Reagan State Building on 3rd and Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles.
Carlos Almaraz was diagnosed with AIDS during the 1980s, eventually leading to his death. After his passing, Flores' fame continued to grow. Her paintings have been shown, to critical acclaim, in museums and art houses in places such as Hawaii
, New York city, Mexico
and . She has had solo exhibitions in New Mexico
and in Los Angeles
. Many of her other exhibitions have been group exhibitions where her paintings have been showcased alongside those of other famous artists.
Childhood
Elsa Flores demonstrated interest in arts from a very young age. She spent part of her childhood in CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where Chicano
Chicano
The terms "Chicano" and "Chicana" are used in reference to U.S. citizens of Mexican descent. However, those terms have a wide range of meanings in various parts of the world. The term began to be widely used during the Chicano Movement, mainly among Mexican Americans, especially in the movement's...
s comprise a large percentage of the state's population.
Young adult years
Flores enrolled at the Art Center College in PasadenaPasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
. Flores continued on with her studies at the California State University
California State University
The California State University is a public university system in the state of California. It is one of three public higher education systems in the state, the other two being the University of California system and the California Community College system. It is incorporated as The Trustees of the...
and the Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts.
Career as an artist
Flores began to gain recognition for her paintings, which have been exhibited around the world, during the 1970s. It was during that decade that she met Carlos AlmarazCarlos Almaraz
Carlos Almaraz was a Mexican-American artist and an early proponent of the Chicano street arts movement.-Childhood and education:...
, a fellow Chicano who was part of the early Chicano street art movement. Almaraz was a member of the famed Los Four
Los Four
Los Four was a Chicano artist collective during the 1970s and early 1980s in Los Angeles, California. The group was instrumental in bringing Chicano Art to the attention of the mainstream art world.-Brief history and significance:...
artist collective. Elsa Flores and Carlos Almaraz eventually married
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
, and the two collaborated on one of the most famed Chicano murals, the "California Dreamscape". While Almaraz was already an icon among Chicanos because of his murals across California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
(as part of Los Four and as a solo artist), "California Dreamscape" helped Flores become an icon herself among Chicano artists. "California Dreamscape". The 15' x 70' mural was commissioned by the California Arts Council and is exhibited at the Reagan State Building on 3rd and Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles.
Carlos Almaraz was diagnosed with AIDS during the 1980s, eventually leading to his death. After his passing, Flores' fame continued to grow. Her paintings have been shown, to critical acclaim, in museums and art houses in places such as Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, New York city, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and . She has had solo exhibitions in New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
and in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. Many of her other exhibitions have been group exhibitions where her paintings have been showcased alongside those of other famous artists.