{"id":259588,"date":"2025-09-27T20:35:10","date_gmt":"2025-09-27T20:35:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/259588\/"},"modified":"2025-09-27T20:35:10","modified_gmt":"2025-09-27T20:35:10","slug":"celebrating-community-in-arts-with-chula-vistas-artfest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/259588\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebrating community in arts with Chula Vista’s ArtFest"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Live painting at the very first Chula Vista ArtFest. (Photo courtesy of the city of Chula Vista)<\/p>\n

For the third consecutive year, the city of Chula Vista is proud to host ArtFest<\/a>, an art festival highlighting the diverse cultural expressions of the South Bay.\u00a0<\/p>\n

ArtFest is free, open to the public and set from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday at Chula Vista City Hall.<\/p>\n

When Erwin Magbanua first started as cultural arts manager for the city of Chula Vista, he wanted to bring artists together. The city didn\u2019t have an arts-focused festival and Magbanua wanted to address the desire for a major art event.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn many ways the arts community here is a sleeping giant,\u201d Magbanua said. \u201cBut I am definitely seeing a movement because more artists and arts advocates in the region are expressing the need for art and its importance.\u201d<\/p>\n

This year, Magbauna hopes to keep enhancing ArtFest to ensure that local artists have a place to showcase their work in their own community rather than driving out of the area to enjoy a similar event.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI want attendees to meet and see our growing creative community,\u201d he said. \u201cI want them to know that they have artists here in their own city and to support them. I hope they see that Chula Vista is beginning to grow as an arts destination.\u201d<\/p>\n

ArtFest brings together artists that otherwise wouldn\u2019t have a place to showcase their work locally. Many of the artists featured in this year\u2019s event are deeply rooted in Chula Vista, including muralist and public artist Shirish Villase\u00f1or.<\/p>\n

Raised in Chula Vista, Villase\u00f1or began her public art journey in 2018 as a window artist for Starbucks during San Diego Comic-Con. Today, her murals can be seen across the region from La Bella Pizza Garden on Third Avenue to the Secret Stairs of Valencia Park. <\/p>\n

She is also a Chicano Park muralist and member of the women\u2019s collective Xoque: Art in Motion.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Chula Vista Art Festival makes me very proud of our city,\u201d she said. \u201cI love seeing the growth of art programs in the South Bay and the increasing emphasis on community involvement. This is my third year live painting at the festival and being out there, sharing my experiences through brushstrokes, has truly been a privilege.\u201d<\/p>\n

This year, live painters were asked to create work inspired by \u201cBeautiful View,\u201d the English translation of Chula Vista. Villase\u00f1or\u2019s piece features a child reading a pop-up book, their imagination unfolding into the natural beauty of Mother Miguel Mountain, radiating light and wonder.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love seeing children learn, absorb and explore knowledge,\u201d she said. \u201cArt is a powerful tool for lifting spirits during difficult times, so I often create whimsical creatures with happy faces to foster a sense of positivity.\u201d<\/p>\n

The festival also welcomes newer artists drawn to the local scene by its authenticity and warmth. One such artist, Navy veteran and San Diego transplant Vince Alvendia, recalls how art helped him find connection as a child.<\/p>\n

\u201cArt was literally how I made friends as the new kid in school with the weird accent and clothes,\u201d he said. \u201cThe other kids caught me drawing characters at my desk during recess and the rest is history. I became addicted to the acceptance that could come with art.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now a father of three and an active member of the regional art community, he\u2019s excited to contribute to the local movement.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen people think of the SoCal art scene, they generally default to LA,\u201d he said. \u201cEvents like the Chula Vista ArtFest help spotlight the burgeoning art scene here in San Diego. You don\u2019t have to move to LA to make the art life work!\u201d<\/p>\n

He\u2019ll be live painting a piece inspired by the Point Loma Lighthouse, a favorite childhood field trip that still stirs nostalgia.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf someone walks away with a smile or a positive impression, that\u2019s all I could ever ask for,\u201d he said. \u201cArt has been a gateway for me to connect with like-minded people and also start dialogues I might never have had otherwise.\u201d<\/p>\n

For both artists, the South Bay\u2019s natural beauty and cultural richness are constant sources of inspiration. Villase\u00f1or cites her love of local hiking trails and her Mexican heritage, often reflected through vibrant colors and symbolic imagery. <\/p>\n

Meanwhile, San Diego\u2019s pop culture influence, especially Comic-Con and \u201980s cartoons, shapes much of Alvendia\u2019s work. But perhaps more than anything, it\u2019s the community that fuels their creative journeys.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t know there was such a rich and diverse creative community in place,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s such a supportive group. I\u2019m honored to be a part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Villasenor agrees, \u201cBeing surrounded by strong-minded artists has taught me resilience through shared experiences. Whether I\u2019m live painting, creating murals or teaching, connecting with the community brings a deeper sense of accomplishment.\u201d<\/p>\n

ArtFest continues to stand as a powerful reminder that art doesn\u2019t just belong in museums; it thrives in neighborhoods and in conversations of local artists committed to telling their stories.<\/p>\n

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