Jocelin Zelaya - Art Start EAP Portfolio - May 2023

Jocelin Zelaya Jocelin Jocelin Jocelin Zelaya Zelaya

Jocelin Jocelin “My star may be hidden but I’m still shining”

Contents

Artist Biography/ Statement (p. 04-05)

Art Start Portrait Project (p. 10-11)

Resume (p. 06)

Let’s Connect (p. 12)

Work Samples (p. 08-09)

Art Start (p. 13)

08 Visual Arts 09 Photography/Pastries

04

Jocelin Zelaya Artist Biography

Jocelin Zelaya is a multimedia visual artist born in Houston Texas, and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Jocelin is an explorer when it comes to art mediums as her practice started at the age of 4. From being obsessed with playing with food, to helping her mom with her first handmade tortillas, to drawing her first portrait in 1st grade; Her techniques include making and baking recipes, realistic and architectural drawings, fashion media and design, digital photography, and recently digital illustration drawing and designs. Jocelin has studied art throughout her school years and is in the process of receiving her bachelor's degree in Interior Architecture and Design at Mount Mary University. Jocelin has worked with Kellogg PEAK Initiative a non-profit organization for Wisconsin’s youth for 9 years and is a current alum of the program. Through these connections, was hired to work with the Art Start as the Emerging Artists 2023. She loves the color lilac, as well as trying new things such as food, music, and cities. As she continues through her career, she hopes traveling will help open her perspective to new art forms and inspirations.

05

Jocelin Zelaya Artist Statement

'See, plan, work, showcase' those are my steps when it comes to creating a piece, boom. Like anything in life, it's easier said than done.

I would consider myself a vending machine that is just overflowing with prizes to pick from, except I'm not a scammer. I would think I come up with millions of ideas and I write them down but I just never get to them.

It can be frustrating at times because you want to complete so much when you have other life necessities going on.

My goal within my multimedia art is to be able to influence others in trying something new and fun as well as express the bubbly, exciting, colorful style of my art and share the emotions I felt when creating a piece with others.

Even though I've traveled a couple of times, when traveling, I love to see the culture and daily life going on within the people. The city, the architecture, the music, the style of clothing, the FOOD! I admire the beauty of the city no matter the popularity and find a sense of liberty and happiness flowing out of me. When I get home or if I have time in the location I am in, I continue the same process as above for the pieces I make at home.

06

Resume October 2022 - May 2023 Art Start, Milwaukee, WI- Emerging Artist 2023 Created and taught a cake pop baking workshop for the March Creative Session Learned how to create my artist statement and biography Created a self portrait and a ‘See Me Because’ concept March 2022 - May 2022 Dr. Jart+ x Art Start, Milwaukee, WI - Duo Cryo Industry Project Contestant Was selected to designed packaging for Dr.Jart+'s new Duo Cryo product, launching in 2024 June 2019 - August 2019 Kellogg PEAK Initiative, Milwaukee, Wisconsin- Social Media Intern Posted on Instagram and Facebook daily updates on campers and their activities Photographed pictures of campers in their daily activities and field trips Created a final summer presentation of all the summer sessions at camp and presented it at the final summer session

Photo credit: Nick Collura

Work Samples: Visual Arts

08

09

Work Samples: Photography and Pastries

10

Photo credit: Sara Stathas

Born in Houston and raised in Milwaukee, I grew up in a Latin-based community. There's a lot of vibrancy in Latin music and food. I grew up in front of a church– a Catholic church that is big and wellknown– everyone would go there. Basically, we would go there every Wednesday at night and then Sunday. That Latin vibe, I feel like that's where and how I grew up. I identify myself as a female, Latin, woman, first generation. My family immigrated from Mexico, they love hard work, and I want to be their representation of hard work, being the first person in my family to go to college, completing college.

That's really important.

The earliest cook I can remember in my family was my great, great grandma. Since then, it’s passed on– it's like blood, genes, because it's always one person in the next generation who cooks. I think that's where my inspiration for baking came from. My grandma was a cook and she would be like, “Oh, do you want to come buy bread at the local bakery?” With the smell and everything I was like, “Oh my God, I need a bakery.” I think she's a big inspiration for cooking because for so many past occasions I've always seen her cook in the kitchen. Seeing her mix all these spices, selling to people, and having these plates just inspired me to find my own creativity. I think she has that generosity of sharing with others, and that's something that I want to do - share my work with others.

My goal after college is to convert an old truck into a bakery truck. You often see food trucks but you don't see cupcake trucks. I want to open up a bakery here in Milwaukee. Having a creative space where I can share food is something I want to do. For baking, I like to work with a lot of unique ingredients, so I would like to bake lots of pastries from different types of countries, integrating people, making people come and try new things. I think the idea of having people try things that they normally wouldn't would be beneficial because it'll open people's eyes to new things and new perspectives.

If I were to go back to the 60s, that would be me. That version of me is very poppy and bold and so that's what I hope is depicted, because I'm very shy and very quiet sometimes. That's not how I want to be seen. If I get to show that through the picture, that's great. The words behind me did hurt back then.

I grew from that, I've learned from that, so I hope to not become that person but become the opposite: a bold, happy, mature, and organized person. I want people to see me the same way I see myself: creative, optimistic, excited for the little things, loud… I want to express color and vibrant things. I like weird things, like couture fashion, and I don’t think I will ever stop making art. I think art is something I want to continue until the day I die.

12

Let's connect!

Email: jocelinzelaya4@gmail.com Instagram: @iloveredmangoes

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Creative Connections Art Start’s Creative Connections program offers a continuum of spaces and pathways where teens and young adults can explore, learn, and grow into their own place in the creative arts industries.

Art Start Art Start uses the creative process to nurture the voices, hearts, and minds of historically marginalized youth, offering a space for them to imagine, believe, and represent their creative vision for their lives and communities.

Photo credit: Nick Collura

Jocelin Jocelin