BAC collaborates with Cochise College students to create paintings that celebrate the sites of Douglas, AZ
Paintings by Cochise College students will be presented in the entryway of the Grand Theatre in the original display cases that once housed vaudeville, theatre, and film, posters for events that took place between 1919 – 1958.
Cochise College 2D Instructor Ashley Dahlke and her students will kick off a series of our door exhibitions presenting paintings of spaces in and around Douglas that they find beautiful.
Opening Event: May 14 from 6-8 p.m.
Join us for an in-person, masked event outside of the Grand Theatre to celebrate the beauty of Douglas and the works of Cochise College students. Cochise College students artists involved in this project; Alex Abarca, Jessica Alba, Dylanni Arvayo, Sophia Ramos, and Marilyn Valenzuela.
This free event is open to the public. Paintings will be on view through the month of July.
Artists interested in presenting artwork in the Grand Theatre poster display cases may contact Border Arts Corridor (BAC) for more information and submit proposals.
Click here to access press images:
Artist Bios:
Alex Abarca is an artist living and working in Douglas, Naco, and Sierra Vista. He will be graduating from Cochise College with his Associates of Arts in Art in Spring 2021. Character illustrations are his favorite thing to create. He is drawn to digital media but is also very interested in photography and painting. After graduating with his associate of Arts, he intends to study within the medical field while continuing to create illustrations, photographs, short films, and music. His work has been featured in Beyond the Ordinary at Studio 917 in Douglas, AZ, in 2021.
Jessica Alba is an artist who has been living and working in Douglas for her entire life. She is currently a student at Cochise College and will be graduating with her Associates of Arts in Art in the Fall of 2021. Her passion is painting and drawing, and she loves to create character designs with dynamic backstories. After her time at Cochise College, she intends to transfer to a university but hopes to take a brief break to start writing a book and create more artwork. Her work has been featured in Beyond the Ordinary at Studio 917 in Douglas in 2021, the Virtual Student Exhibition at Cochise College in 2020, and a Cochise College Art Club Exhibition in the BAC gallery space in 2020.
Dylanni Arvayo is an artist living and working in Douglas, AZ She is graduating with her Associates of Arts in nursing from Cochise College in Fall 2021. She has a passion for the Arts and enjoys painting and drawing. After graduating, she intends to transfer to a university in Arizona to pursue her Bachelor’s degree in nursing while staying active within her own art practice. Her work has been featured in a variety of exhibitions, including Beyond the Ordinary at Studio 917 in Douglas, AZ in 2021, at the Cochise County fair, where she has won a variety of awards.
Sophia Ramos is an artist living and working between Douglas, AZ, and Agua Prieta, SON. She’s graduating with her Associates of Fine Arts Degree from Cochise College in May 2021. Sophia works in a variety of media but particularly likes to paint and draw and is interested in capturing human expressions and portraits. Her work has been featured in the exhibition Beyond the Ordinary at Studio 917 in Douglas, AZ, the Virtual Student exhibition at Cochise College in 2020, along with a variety of other exhibitions in both Douglas and Agua Prieta.
Marilyn Valenzuela is an artist living and working in Nogales, Sonora. She is a pre-nursing student at Cochise College and will be graduating with her General Studies degree in 2022. She has a passion for the visual arts and likes to paint landscapes. After graduating from Cochise College, she will be working on completing her nursing degree.
Media Contacts:
Ash Dahlke- Border Arts Corridor- Board Secretary
M. Jenea Sanchez- Border Arts Corridor- Artistic Director