{"id":308022,"date":"2026-05-09T19:00:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-09T19:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/308022\/"},"modified":"2026-05-09T19:00:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-09T19:00:12","slug":"california-soul-brea-gallery-opens-made-in-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/308022\/","title":{"rendered":"California Soul: Brea Gallery opens ‘Made in California’"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

California\u2019s landscapes are influential, artistically speaking. Coastal beaches, lush forests and mountain ranges inspired early California scene painting. The Golden State is also the birthplace of the Light and Space Movement<\/a> and CalArts. It\u2019s no wonder so many artists make their home here.<\/p>\n

On April 25, artists gathered at the opening of Brea Gallery\u2019s \u201cMade in California,\u201d an annual juried exhibit that features artwork from all over the state.<\/p>\n

Now in its 41st year, \u201cMade in California\u201d has long been a tradition for the contemporary art space, highlighting living artists in various stages of their careers residing in the state.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn its early iterations, it was an all media show and through the years it morphed into the show that it is today,\u201d said Katie Chidester, gallery director at Brea Gallery. \u201cThere is no theme, no concept or overarching vision for the show each year. You just need to be 18 and live somewhere in the state of California in order to submit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Brea <\/p>\n

Brea Gallery director, Katie Chidester (center) welcomes people to \u201cMade in California.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Ryella Zar Photography)<\/p>\n

Chidester said the Gallery makes an effort to reach all the parts of the state, which makes for a very diverse show with a variety of mediums. Prizes awarded include $1,000 for first place, $750 for second place and $500 for third place. <\/p>\n

Additional awards are given for Director\u2019s Choice, Juror\u2019s Choice, Staff Picks, Popular Choice and others. The exhibition also offers one solo show opportunity to an artist, running concurrent to \u201cMade in California.\u201d<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s jury panel was comprised of Jennifer Frias, director\/curator of the College of the Arts Galleries at California State University, Fullerton; Andrew Hosner, curator and co-owner of Thinkspace Projects and Amy Yoshitsu, last year\u2019s \u201cMade in California\u201d solo show recipient.<\/p>\n

The exhibition shines a light on California artists, but it always connects Brea Gallery with new, up and coming creatives.<\/p>\n

\"\u201cMade <\/p>\n

\u201cMade in California\u201d showcases artwork from all over the state from artists in different stages of their careers. <\/p>\n

(Ryella Zar Photography)<\/p>\n

\u201cIt really is the best way we get introduced to artists, people that maybe wouldn\u2019t have been on our radar or are not in our network,\u201d said Chidester. \u201cAnd I would say that applies to those who didn\u2019t get in the show as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

The show is competitive with many submission but Chidester said the gallery keeps all submissions on file and it doesn\u2019t mean they might not make into a different exhibition.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere have been times where we have had invitationals where we\u2019ve reached out to people that have submitted [to \u2018Made in California\u2019] because we saw their work and felt like it would be a good fit.\u201d<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s first place winner is Nataly Barajas, for her piece, \u201cGranddaughter of a Wetback\u201d (2025). An acrylic painting of her grandfather and a young Barajas in her mother\u2019s arms is the focal point of a wooden installation that features a collage of photographs, old pay stubs and strategically placed chicken wire.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a piece deduced to my abuelo, my grandfather from my mom\u2019s side, who was a bracero in the \u201960s in Watsonville,\u201d said Barajas. \u201cIt\u2019s an archive of memories he experienced here in California.\u201d<\/p>\n

\""Granddaughter <\/p>\n

\u201cGranddaughter of a Wetback\u201d by Nataly Barajas, first place winner at Brea Gallery\u2019s \u201cMade in California\u201d show. <\/p>\n

(Courtesy of Brea Gallery)<\/p>\n

Barajas is a first generation Mexican American born in Fresno, where the Central Valley has a large agriculture history. Her grandfather passed away in 2011, but she interviewed family members in Mexico about him. Her painting was inspired by an old photo of one of the few visits she made with her mother to see her grandfather.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause of the border and that whole situation, I wasn\u2019t able to meet with him as much as I would have loved to,\u201d said Barajas.<\/p>\n

Barajas originally created the piece for a group show in Fresno that included artist Jose Soria, who is also showcased in \u201cMade in California\u201d with a oil painting titled \u201cMy Saint Sebastian.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is so cool how a lot of Central Valley artists are giving it their all and representing the community in SoCal,\u201d Barajas said.<\/p>\n

Second place went to Northridge-based artist Harmony Azul Vasquez for \u201cBattle Banner: Valor\u201d (2025), a striking paining of an armored figure cradling a bouquet of flowers. Joseph Heffernan took third place for \u201cSiphon\u201d (2026), a ceramic sculpture with a bold, graphic design.<\/p>\n

The 2026 solo show honor went to Lorena Molina, who presents \u201cThis Must Be the Place,\u201d a site specific exhibition that explores the immigrant experience and what it\u2019s like when one\u2019s sense of home is shaped by multiple environments. <\/p>\n

Highly saturated photographs of natural elements like plants, water and a passion fruit oozing seeds are mixed with people and places, like a mercado selling fresh fruit.<\/p>\n

\u201cLorena is really on the verge of her own career exploding; she\u2019s had a couple solo shows here in California and in Texas,\u201d said Chidester. \u201cShe is really coming into her own voice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Art <\/p>\n

Art lovers mingle around artwork like \u201cAzusa Ave\u201d (2024) by Alyssa Dolleschal.<\/p>\n

(Ryella Zar Photography)<\/p>\n

Presenting new, exciting voices is part of what makes \u201cMade in California\u201d among the most special exhibitions Brea Gallery puts on.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have been doing this for 41 years and honestly it\u2019s our favorite show every year,\u201d said Chidester. \u201cDrop off day is the best because we have only been seeing these pieces digitally and when it shows up in person it is the most exciting thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMade in California\u201d is on view now until June 28 at Brea Gallery, 1 Civic Center Circle, Brea. For details, visit breaartgallery.com<\/a>. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"California\u2019s landscapes are influential, artistically speaking. Coastal beaches, lush forests and mountain ranges inspired early California scene painting.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":308023,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[129482,12837,27414,7,9,8,129481,17634,9734,129484,4189,28333,27417,129483,13568,77187,1860,129485],"class_list":["post-308022","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-california","tag-41st-year","tag-artist","tag-brea-gallery","tag-california","tag-california-headlines","tag-california-news","tag-california-soul","tag-choice","tag-exhibition","tag-gallery-director","tag-golden-state","tag-grandfather","tag-katie-chidester","tag-nataly-barajas","tag-piece","tag-second-place","tag-show","tag-solo-show-recipient"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/308022","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=308022"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/308022\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/308023"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=308022"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=308022"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=308022"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}