Artist
Kuetzpal Vasquez is a home girl from San Anto, a multi-media Xicanx artivist and educator who has exhibited nationally and internationally.
Observing the Chicanx Movement through the lens of a child has shaped my life, work, and the creation of my cartoon character, Citlali, La XicanX Anti-Hero, through which I challenge social and political issues pertaining to womxn and Raza (people). I come from a long line of curanderas (native healers) but my method of healing is through my art. I make art because I possess no better method to open minds and hearts.
Currently, I am an Associate Professor and Visual Arts Program Head at Our Lady of the Lake University. My research concentration examines the artistic perception of cultural hybridity in contemporary and global artistic approaches to Indigenous and African spiritual healing. Achieving ecological balance is important to my work, as is creating work from a Xicanx feminist perspective. The creation of comics contributes to community health through multi-generational relationships, and as always, bringing attention to the lack of Xicanx and womxn of color representation in the arts and education.
Artistically, I am re-imagining and re-imaging the patriarchal cultural myths that position womxn as unscrupulous characters through a Xicanx feminist lens and, the lack of Xicanx and womxn of color representation in the arts and education. It’s difficult for me to separate my work from my leisurely activities since I make art and live cultura for both. Aside from art, I love recreating traditional food into vegan recipes, listening to music and dancing polkas, cumbias, and old school steppin.
Artist Vitae
Education
2000 University of Wisconsin Madison Master of Fine Arts – 2-D & 3-D
2000 Universidad Nahuatl, Ocotepec, Morelos Painting & Traditional Culture-Certificate
1997 The School of the Art Institute of Chicago Advanced Painting Institute-Painting Certificate
1995 Texas Woman’s University, Denton Bachelors of Arts – 2D & 3D Magna Cum Laude
Teaching Experience
2014-present Associate Professor & Visual Arts Program Head, Our Lady of the Lake University OLLU, San Antonio, Texas SAT
2011-2013 Education Director, Healing Arts Program, Bihl Haus Arts, SAT
2007-2010 Visiting Professor, OLLU,, SAT
2006-2007 Visiting Artist, Healing Arts Program, Jump Start Performance Company, SAT
Professional Experience
2021 Domestic Violence Art Project, Metropolitan Health District, SAT
2018 – present Business Owner, Puro Corazon Art Online Store
2016 – present Business Owner, Corazones On Fire: Painting With a Cultural Edge, SAT
2011 – 2013 Arts Education Director, Bihl Haus Arts, SAT
2010 – 2011 Café Owner, Cafe Citlali @ Gallista Gallery, SAT
2007 – 2009 Visual Arts Program Coordinator, Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, SAT
Curatorial Experience
2019 El Mero Hueso Photo Exhibition, Providence Blue Room, OLLU,, SAT
2018 Sister Maria Eva “MC” presents Mexican American/ Chicana Photo Exhibition, Providence Blue Room, OLLU,, SAT
2017 On & Off Fred Studio Tour: OLLU Alumnae Exhibition, Corazones On Fire Studio, SAT
Selected Exhibitions and Projects
2022 XicanX: Dreamers & Changemakers. Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
2022 Scent of Magnolias on a Hot Summer Night, Ceramic Painting for Poet’s Plaza, City of SAT
2021 Domestic Violence Art Project, Metropolitan Health District, SAT
2020 We Want As Much: Politits Juried Art Exhibition. At the Yard Art Collective, Rochester, NY.
2019 Mundos Alternos: Art & Science Fiction in the Americas. Queens Museum, Queens, NY.
2018 Café Negro Mestizaje: La Tercer Raiz. XXII Scientific Conference on African American Social and Cultural Anthropology. Museo Casa de África, Centro Histórico de La Habana Vieja, Habana, Cuba.
2018 Voz: Selections from the UTSA Art Collection Exhibition. Centro de Artes Gallery, SAT
2018 Pride Exhibition. Plaza de Armas Gallery, SAT
2017 Mundos Alternos; Art and Science Fiction in the Americas, September 16, 2017–February 4, 2018.
2017 University of California Riverside. Part of the Getty’s Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA, brings together works by over thirty contemporary artists and collectives from across the Americas who use science fiction to imagine new realities and alternate worlds.
2017 Mujeres de Maiz: 20 Years of ARTivism Retrospect L.A., La Plaza de Culturas y Artes, Los Angeles, CA
Selected Presentations and Publications
2022 Presentation: XicanX Speaks. Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, CAN
2022 Panelist/Presenter: Diálogo: Conversation About Latin American Art in North America. VLACC Vancouver Latin American Cultural Centre, Contemporary Art Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
2021 Presentation: Are We Down and Brown? OLLU,, SAT
2020 Presentation: Decolonization Not the Same as Diversification, OLLU,, SAT
2019 Presentation: The Influence of Basquiat on My Work. Queens Museum, Queens, New York.
2019 Presentation: Arroz Con Pollo y Nopalitos: Basquiat and I. Brandt Museum, NYC, New York
2018 Presenter/ Exhibitor: XXII Taller Científico de Antropología Social y Cultural Afroamericana, Museo Casa de África, Centro Histórico de La Habana Vieja. Habana, Cuba.
2018 Presenter: Southwest Fulbright Symposium, University of Texas SAT
2017 Panelist/Presenter: Mundos Alternos, San Antonio Book Festival, Central Library. Greg Barrios, John Philip Santos, Cathryn Merla Watson, and Ben Olguin.
Professional Affiliations and Honors
2020 to present Board Member San Anto Cultural Arts, SAT
2019 to present Chair, Advisory Board P.E.A.C.E. Initiative, Putting an End to Abuse through Community Effort,
2019 Recipient Hearst Research and Development Grant, OLLU, SAT
2018 to present Member Women and Their Work, Austin, Texas
2018 to present Member Texas Association of Schools of Art
2017 Recipient Hearst I Research and Development Grant, OLLU, SAT
2017 Recipient Flashman Foundation Grant, OLLU, SAT
2017 Recipient At Home in the World Grant, OLLU, SAT
2017 Recipient La Cosecha Seed Grant, OLLU, SAT