Portland artists portray immigration issues through paintings
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Portland artist Janie Lowe grew up in northern Texas. Seeing images of people in camps, she became disturbed about the detention of migrants at the border of the state she grew up in.
“I wanted to do something to help and I wanted to see for myself what was going on,” she said. “We need to change what’s not working.”
She took a road trip from Portland to the Texas-Mexico border, delivering donations to migrant shelters along the way.
“The communities are really stepping in where our government has failed.”
While visiting the border towns and the wall, Janie got a real perspective about the struggle for survival — so she began painting pictures of the harsh reality.
These paintings show ranchers leaving water for migrants, one shows remnants of people passing through and another depicts a small child wrapped in a space blanket.
“They all have a story to tell of someone’s journey,” she said.
She said by coming face-to-face with migrants made her feel more educated about the issue.
“Now I can spread the word and educate others,” she said. “This is a representation of what we are living with today.”
Check out Janie’s border blog
Fellow Portland artist Alvaro Tarrago grew up in Mexico City. He recalls the days when travel between the U.S. and Mexico was friendly and free.
“It was a very fluid experience, you could just come and go,” he said.
Since the immigration crisis at the border, he’s gotten involved in an art exhibit, portraying the issues from the artistic view of a child.
“I think artists have a responsibility to portray what sometimes people deny,” he said. “People don’t leave their countries because they want to,” said Tarrago.
“Think about how bad it has to be to leave your home in that way on foot. It has to be a pretty desperate situation,” said Lowe.
They’re painting a visual journey along the Texas-Mexico border, sharing their insight through their art.
These paintings will be on display at the Antoinette Hatfield Hall In The Newmark Theatre lobby through September as part of the Borderland Stories exhibit.
Alex Valle and Arturo Vollasenor will also have art featured at the exhibition, which was made possible by the Regional Arts and Culture Council and Portland 5 Centers for the Arts.
The Sacred Heart Respite Center in McAllen, Texas is helping migrants. Annunciation House is a shelter in El Paso specifically for migrants.
The South Texas Human Rights Center is a community based organization in Falfurrias, Texas dedicated to the promotion, protection, defense and exercise of human rights and dignity in South Texas. Our mission is to end death and suffering on the Texas/Mexico border through community initiatives.