Jose Orantes

The Official Ribbon-Cutting!

Posted on by Sandy Brown Glass

On Sunday, October 2nd, 2016 the official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Luther Burbank Playground mosaics took place. The weather was beautiful and it was so wonderful to reunite with so many of the children, parents and volunteers that were such an integral part of this project. Together we created and installed nearly 250 square feet of mosaics in the Luther Burbank Park Playground.

Thank you for this opportunity!
Libby and Samantha sharing the HUGE scissors
Carole contemplating the ribbon cutting
MI Councilmember Jeff Sanderson and Mayor Bruce Bassett cutting the ribbon
Sandy and Jose posing with mosaic
Love these women!

We are grateful for the opportunity to create something beautiful for our community playground – Thank you to the Mercer Island Arts Council, and also to the Mercer Island Community Fund and a private donation that filled a gap when we decided to do more of the project with Mercer Island students.

And a HUGE thank you to all the parents who volunteered in our workshops, the volunteers/friends who came to my home studio to help with behind-the-scenes preparation and volunteers who helped with the installation. A call-out to Carole for sharing Turkish coffee on those rainy June installation days — keeping as caffeinated! This project truly has been a community effort and we feel grateful for this opportunity that brought our team of 3rd – 8th grade students, MIHS teens and community volunteers together to create these mosaics!

This mosaic mural began with a sketch

This mosaic “Birds in Flight” is 5 feet high and 38 feet long. Shown above are some preliminary sketches created by Jose Orantes.

Elise and Sandy
Sadie

It was so special to reunite with some of the creative and hardworking students that helped create the mosaics, now nearly a year older than when we first met.

♥

Inspired by Mercer Island Students, Orantes’ Paintings Feature Island Scenes

Posted on by Sandy Brown Glass

It’s September and students are back in school, the weather is getting cooler and all the pieces of my  April 2014 proposal: Luther Burbank Playground Mosaic Enhancement have been accomplished.  The custom painting by José Orantes shimmers in the 38′ x 5′ mosaic mural and the mosaics created with students in our  workshops now enhance the playground. The project culminates with José Orantes “Birds in Flight” Artist Exhibition at the Mercer Gallery at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center from September 12 through October 28, 2016.

Gallery Opening Reception for José Orantes 
Thursday, September 15, 2016 from 6:30PM – 8:00PM
Mercer Gallery @ The Mercer Island Community and Event Center
8236 SE 24th Street, Mercer Island

Artwork is for sale with a percentage of the sales going to support arts and cultural programming of the Mercer Island Arts Council.
The framing of Jose Orantes’ paintings have also been supported by an Arts, Heritage and Preservation Grant from 4Culture.

Throughout this project, José Orantes has been painting in his studio. José’s series of new paintings for this gallery exhibit feature Mercer Island and PNW scenes created in his own artistic and whimsical style. Orantes found himself inspired by the Mercer Island students we worked with in our workshops. This inspiration, along with his talent and imagination captures the vitality of Mercer Island and the Pacific Northwest in vibrant colors.

© Jose Orantes 2016
© Jose Orantes 2016
© Jose Orantes 2016
© Jose Orantes 2016
© Jose Orantes 2016
© Jose Orantes 2016
© Jose Orantes 2016
© Jose Orantes 2016

 

José, Nancy and I were excited to see how the nearly 50 paintings and prints created by the artist filled the Mercer Gallery. We hope to see you at the reception this Thursday night, September 15th – 6:30 – 8 p.m. @ the Mercer Island Community and Event Center.

Hanging the show along with volunteers from the MI Arts Council
Jose Orantes and his painting
Jose and Nancy after hanging the exhibit
The Luther Burbank Playground Mosaic Art Enhancement proposed by Sandy Glass was funded by the Mercer Island Arts Council. The 3rd– 5th grade workshops, not fully funded in the grant received supplemental support by the Mercer Island Community Fund and also from a private donation to honor the memory of Aaron and Mickie Freed.  José Orantes is also grateful for a grant received by 4Culture to help frame his art for his gallery exhibition.