<![CDATA[VANESSA MERCEDES - News]]>Thu, 21 May 2026 18:03:35 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[15% Board Game Cafe]]>Fri, 15 May 2026 23:05:36 GMThttps://www.vanessamercedesart.com/news/15-board-game-cafePicture

I had the incredible opportunity to show at the 15% Board Game cafe here in Tacoma, from July 2025-December 2025. It has always been one of my goals to have artwork shown at a local coffee shop and I serendipitously found this opportunity after visiting the cafe as a patron. 

I was also given the opportunity to have my very first artist meet and greet! Which was such an incredible experience.

Thank you again to the owners and staff at the 15% Board Game cafe for the space to share my work!

Visit them if you are in town! 

The 15% Board Game Cafe 
]]><![CDATA[Mi Centro Cinco de Mayo 2025]]>Tue, 29 Apr 2025 21:04:37 GMThttps://www.vanessamercedesart.com/news/mi-centro-cinco-de-mayo-2025
I had the privilege of being a vendor again at Mi Centro's annual Cinco de Mayo celebration. This year I was able to connect with community and other artists and art lovers. My painting "Cancer Moon" even found a forever home with a collector. It is always an honor to be surrounded by community, especially when we all get to enjoy some Lucha Libre matches and free tacos together. 
]]><![CDATA[Fiesta de La Familia 2024]]>Tue, 18 Feb 2025 18:49:27 GMThttps://www.vanessamercedesart.com/news/fiesta-de-la-familia-2024
I was honored to be invited to create artwork with the theme of La Catrina/Catrin and vend alongside incredible Latine artists for Fiesta de la Familia in Lakewood Washington. In celebration of Hispanic and Latine heritage month the city of Lakewood hosts this annual celebration. I was grateful to be included in the art show and look forward to 2025's celebration. 
]]><![CDATA[Latine Pride 2024 with Mi Centro]]>Tue, 18 Feb 2025 18:28:12 GMThttps://www.vanessamercedesart.com/news/latine-pride-2024-with-mi-centro
In celebration of Pride month, I was invited by Mi Centro's Arts and Culture team to lead a workshop at the Moore Branch Tacoma Public Library. I led a paper pride earrings workshop where attendees would learn how to use different tools to create custom jewelry with paper to express how they identify.

I was grateful to also be included in the Latine Pride celebration as an exhibiting artist and vendor. As a Bi woman who is married to a man, I often don't feel like I can express my queer identity but through this experience I have grown to realize that I myself should not contribute to Bi erasure, that I can and should be proud as a Bi woman. I am forever grateful to have had this experience. 
]]><![CDATA[Nepantla's Lowrider Block Party & Chicana/o Style Art Show]]>Thu, 21 Dec 2023 21:45:34 GMThttps://www.vanessamercedesart.com/news/nepantlas-lowrider-block-party-chicanao-style-art-show
"The Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery is a multi-use multi-cultural accessible arts gallery grounded in the Chicana/o Latinx arts traditions."
Nepantla | Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery | Seattle

I have had the privilege of being able to consistently show my work at Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery! This August I was able to participate in Nepantla's Chicano/a Style art show and attend their 3rd annual Lowrider Block Party. Being able to come to Nepantla and be surrounded by my Latine/Chicana culture and be in the same space as other amazingly talented artists has been an extremely healing experience for me. I am forever grateful for this community love and acceptance! 
]]><![CDATA[16th annual CVG Juried Show]]>Thu, 21 Dec 2023 21:24:42 GMThttps://www.vanessamercedesart.com/news/16th-annual-cvg-juried-show

The CVG Show, an annual state wide juried art exhibition at the Collective Visions Gallery in Bremerton WA. The CVG Show has grown to become one of the largest and most competitive juried art shows in the Pacific Northwest region.  Every year, this prestigious local art event attracts numerous artists and a large audience of viewers from the across the state.

​January-February 2023
]]><![CDATA[BIMA's Spotlight Exhibition]]>Thu, 14 Dec 2023 21:46:46 GMThttps://www.vanessamercedesart.com/news/bimas-spotlight-exhibitionPicture

​"BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, Wash. – Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (BIMA) presents BIMA Spotlight, the museum’s first-ever juried group exhibition. Six jurors reviewed approximately 3,400 artworks, submitted by 606 artists from the Puget Sound region. The result is a diverse salon-style show, filling the majority of BIMA’s two gallery floors with the work of 150 artists from the Puget Sound Region. BIMA Spotlight is part of BIMA’s 10th Anniversary celebration and closes on Sunday, September 24, 2023"
I was humbled to have my piece Monarca included in Bainbridge Island Museum of Art's first ever juried group exhibition! This was my first museum show ever, followed then by El Noroeste. I am very grateful to be an artist in this lifetime.
]]><![CDATA[El Noroeste]]>Thu, 14 Dec 2023 21:33:43 GMThttps://www.vanessamercedesart.com/news/el-noroeste
El Noroeste was held at the Tacoma Art Museum September 23rd-October 1st 2023. This exhibition was put on by Mi Centro in partnership with the Tacoma Art Museum to showcase some of the Northwest's finest Chicano/a and Latinx artists. I was humbled to be included amongst the many talented artists in our community. Some of whom I have personally admired for years. It was also an extraordinary opportunity to meet Cheech Marin! Cheech most famous for his work in 'Cheech and Chong' has the largest private collection of Chicano art. We were not only lucky enough to meet Cheech but to also hear about his reasons behind his large Chicano art collection, reasons on why he collects and how the Cheech Center for Chicano Art in Riverside California came to be. 
]]><![CDATA['Monarca' donated to Mi Centro's collection]]>Thu, 14 Dec 2023 19:39:35 GMThttps://www.vanessamercedesart.com/news/monarca-donated-to-mi-centros-collectionPicture

​After having the opportunity to show in El Noroeste this past September, and having been invited by Mi Centro, I decided I wanted to be a part of their permanent collection because the work they do in arts and culture is vital for our Latine and Indigenous communities. I wanted my work to be included because their vision for arts and values for community align with mine as well. I am grateful they graciously accepted 'Monarca', into their collection. Monarca will be hung in the Arreguin Gallery at Mi Centro's Center for Arts and Culture in Tacoma WA. 

To read more about Mi Centro please visit:
Arts & Culture – Mi Centro WA

]]>