Arts & Life, Events

Art District comes alive

The streets of Downtown Long Beach are filled with artists. Some work with brightly-colored chalk on the crowded sidewalks, and others implement spray paint to create portraits of iconic figures in history. Around these artists, the crowds attending the Long Beach Art Walk observe — and admire.

The Long Beach Art Walk is an event held the second Saturday of each month. It is an event that allows Long Beach residents and other art enthusiasts to view local artists and galleries exhibit their work. Features include vendors with handmade jewelry, art pieces for sale and local music.

Artists who attended have been part of the Art Walk for a few years now. The event is an opportunity for artists to show the public the creativity of their work and to gain recognition for it.

Cal State Long Beach 2013 alumnus Akira Dueno, who graduated as a chemistry major, discovered a way in which he could incorporate chemistry in his newfound talent in the arts.

“During lectures I would doodle a lot, and it wasn’t until I graduated that I felt like I wanted to become a full time artist,” Dueno said.

Much of Dueno’s inspiration comes from his background in science. He also gets inspiration from his experiences in life.

“While in school I didn’t realize how much of a science it was to learn art, like ‘Why does this color go with this’ and such,” Dueno said. “Much like how in chemistry you manipulate molecules and atoms to do what they want them to, I feel like a lot of that process I was able to apply to make art.”  

Another artist who attended the event included Fermin Guerrero, a local photographer in Long Beach who has been attending the Art Walk for four years now.

Guerrero specializes in photographing images he sees on the ground or his surroundings in his day-to-day life. Some categories of his abstract photographs include images like cracks stains on sidewalks, a crumpled paper and a specific way water falls in the ground.

“I began photographing images I see in my life in 2003. It all started out as a hobby but now has developed into something more,” Guerrero said.

Along with his partner, Tony Nocera, Guerrero has written many books that use his images as the basis of his storyline. His most recent book tells the story of a dinosaur and its journey for friendship, and Guerrero hopes that he’ll be able to publish it soon.

Freelance painter Alex Diffin attended the event to showcase her watercolor and acrylic paintings.

“About three years ago I finally made the decision to become an artist; I had gone to school, and I was toying around with the idea but it was only 3 years ago that I decided to do it,” Diffin said.

Diffin’s artwork focuses solely on women and explores themes of femininity.

“There’s something beautiful about women, something soft from painting them, and men have an inherent masculinity that makes it come off as harder and more aggressive,” Diffin said. “With a woman you can show all these kind of in-between, questionable emotions and it’s acceptable for her to be there and it reaches people better.”

Diffin credits her success to the Art Walk; she has been attending the event for three years and is happy to showcase her work.

The next Long Beach Art Walk is scheduled for the second Saturday of next month.

Cal State Long Beach alumnus, Akira Dueno spray painting a mural and showcasing his work.
Katherine Lemus
Cal State Long Beach alumnus, Akira Dueno spray painting a mural and showcasing his work.

onlineart2Katherine Lemus | Daily 49er

Portraits of various women of various ethnic backgrounds showcased at the Long Beach Art Walk.
Katherine Lemus | Daily 49er
Portraits of various women of various ethnic backgrounds showcased at the Long Beach Art Walk.
Artist Alex Diffin with her art.
Katherine Lemus | Daily 49er
Artist Alex Diffin with her art.

2 Comments

  1. Avatar
    Lou Hannoe

    The artist’s name is misspelled throughout the article….!

    The correct spelling of the artist’s name is “Akira Ueno”

  2. Avatar

    This was a very thoughtful article. More of my art can be seen on my instagram at instagram.com/akirayouknow or facebook.com/akiramakesart 🙂

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