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= Alfredo Arreguín =

Alfredo Mendoza Arreguín (January 20,1935-April 24, 2023) is a Mexican American artist known for pattern-based paintings focused on animals, plants, and the natural world, as well as featuring Mexican cultural heritage.

Early Life
Arreguín was born in Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico. He showed artistic interests at a young age and was enrolled at the Escuela Popular de Bellas Artes (People's School of Fine Arts) from age twelve.

Born to unwed parents, he was raised by his maternal grandparents, Carlos Mendoza Alvarez and Josefa Martínez. His grandfather started him on artistic pursuits by providing painting materials and pencils. He also took Arreguín along for a business trip into a small village, Las Canoas, that was filled with plants, trees, insects, and birds. These sights captured Arreguín's eye and imagination. While his grandfather encouraged his artistic pursuits, Arreguín claims his skills came from his mother, María Mendoza Martínez.

In December 1848, his grandparents died within three days of one another. Their deaths forced Arreguín to move back with his mother and step-father. He did not get along with his step-father, Jesus Robles, and soon moved in with his maternal aunt in Mexico City. He first met his biological father, Felix Arreguin Velez, in Mexico City when he was fourteen.

Immigration and Education in the United States
in 1955, Arreguín met a family from Seattle that were travelling through Mexico. After guiding the family to their tourist destination, the couple invited Arreguín to visit them in the US. After visiting in 1956, they offered to host him further, and encouraged him to apply to college in Seattle. Obtaining a visa, he immigrated to the United States intended to enroll at the University of Washington. He was admitted in 1958, but was also drafted by the United States Army. He served in Korea, but faced serious racism and discrimination by his commanding officers. After being discharged in 1960, he returned to Seattle and resumed his delayed college plans.

Arreguin originally enrolled at University of Washington's School of Architecture. He supported himself while attending the university by working various jobs, including at Campos, a local Mexican restaurant, and as a janitor for the Bethany Community Church. He eventually turned back toward art, transferring programs and earning his Master's in Fine Arts (MFA) in painting in 1969.

Arreguín's work has been described as neo-Ornamentalism, Pattern Painting, or as a Pattern and Decoration style. His paintings have been compared to other artists such as Joyce Kozloff, Robert Kushner, Kim MacConnell, Miriam Schapiro. While at the University of Washington, he studied under Alden Mason. His techniques were also strongly guided by feedback given to him by Elmer Bischoff.

In 1984, Arreguín became a naturalized US citizen.

Honors and Recognitions
Arreguín's work has received wide recognition. As a representative for the United States, Arreguín won the 1979 "Palm of the People Award" at the International Festival of Painting in France. The following year, he won a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship. His success led him to serve on the Seattle Arts Commission from 1980-1982. In 1986, he was the recipient of the Governor’s Art Award from the state of Washington." In 1988, he was asked to design the official White House Easter egg.

Arreguín painted Mi Amigo Ray, as tribute to his friend and poet Raymond Carver. That image appeared as the cover art for Carver's final published book of poetry, A New Path to the Waterfall. wife, poet Tess Gallagher. Gallagher wrote the foreword for professor Lauro Flores' book on Arreguín.

In 1992, Arreguín designed the poster marking the 20th anniversary of Seattle's El Centro de la Raza, a cultural center created by student and community activism in 1972. One of El Centro's founders, Roberto Maestas, described Arreguín's impact on regional art, saying “because of his political statements and his artistic talent, Alfredo has helped put Washington on the map. He has paved the way for appreciation for other Chicano artists. He is the dean of Latino art in the entire Northwest.”

Significance

Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo in 1988

National Endowment for the Arts.

UNICEF postcard

His home and studio at 2412 NE 80th Street in Seattle are listed on the National Register of Historic Places (reference number: 100007697).

Governor's Arts Award 1986.

1988 invited to White House for exposition.

selected for Centennial Celebration of the State of Washington

National Academy of Sciences

Reconocimiento Ohtli (or Ohtli award) on November, 14 1997 - "who have distinguished themselves for their work for many years for the benefit of the community of Mexican origin abroad, in any field of human endeavor" described by award as "Prominent Mexican artist whose pictorial works have been widely recognized as expressions of the culture of Mexico. He has donated works for various community agencies, including "El Centro de La Raza" and the radio station "Radio Cadena".

scholarship at UW

exhibited at the Centro Cultural Clavijero, Morelia

Keys to the city, Morelia, in 2017.

in YEAR, Arreguín was commissioned by the Washington State Supreme Court to paint a portrait of Chief Justice Steven González. He painted the portrait of Charles Z. Smith (in 2014), the court's first African American justice. The Seattle Law School commissioned Arreguín for the portrait of Mary Yu(in 2022??), who was the first openly gay justice. She was also the first Latina and Chinese American justice for the state court. These portraits now hang in the state's Temple of Justice.

Humanitarian award by Washington State Legislature, Olympia, 1989.

Community award Washington State Hispanic Bar Association, Seattle, 1993.

His portrait of Frida Kahlo is sold as a 1000-piece puzzle by Pomegranate.

Notable Works
Galeria de la Raza (1978)

Two of Arreguín's works are held by the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Sueño (Dream: Eve Before Adam) and Encantación, from the National Chicano Screenprint Taller, 1988-1989. -- ABLE TO USE IMAGES?: https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1994.107A-C

His work Return to Aztlan (2006), is held in the permanent collection of the US National Portrait Gallery. This painting features images of Mexican American labor organizers Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, and Mexican revolutionaries Miguel Hidalgo, José María Morelos, and Emiliano Zapata. -- IMAGE USE? https://npg.si.edu/object/npg_NPG.2007.214 This work reflects his late career interests in portraiture works featuring notable environmental activists, including Chico Mendes (in Sacrificio na Amazonia, 1989) and Hazel Wolf.

Zapata's horse (Siete Leguas, 1991).

sources to use. - no text included with art in Arte Latino book (all rest have bios!)

Exhibitions
Schack Art Center, 2017

Rob Schouten Gallery

Linda Hodges Gallery

Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, 2018-2019

https://www.arts.wa.gov/artist-collection/?request=record;id=1756;type=701

https://www.historylink.org/File/21332

https://nwaae.org/partners/alfredo-arreguin

https://www.biartmuseum.org/exhibitions/alfredo-arreguin-life-patterns/

https://marmotartspace.com/art-for-sale/ols/categories/alfredo-arreguin

https://tfaoi.org/aa/3aa/3aa454.htm

https://art.state.gov/personnel/alfredo_arreguin/

https://www.nps.gov/places/arreguin-alfredo-susan-lytle-house-and-studio.htm

https://uwapress.uw.edu/book/9780295987347/alfredo-arreguin/

https://www.visualartsource.com/index.php?page=editorial&pcID=27&aID=2564

https://www.cascadiadaily.com/news/2022/jul/31/review-arreguin-painter-from-the-new-world/

https://www.monamuseum.org/arreguin

https://www.knkx.org/arts/2021-01-21/alfredo-arreguin-there-are-incredible-things-on-the-river-of-life?gclid=CjwKCAiA3pugBhAwEiwAWFzwdT81iT3v830oOHP_Rj93-ea6bCUvkth0h_eM2P-jotE_BpHZYk0pIxoCcPkQAvD_BwE

Exhibited at the National Academy of Sciences in 1996. http://www.cpnas.org/collections/alfredo-arreguin.html

Wikidata here: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21683327

death: https://crosscut.com/culture/2023/04/artsea-remembering-singular-seattle-artist-alfredo-arreguin

[[One painting hangs in the office of UW President Ana Mari Cauce. “Las Garzas” depicts herons flying across a starry mosaic sky and wading through seemingly bioluminescent water. Arreguín, proud of a Latina being university president, gifted it to Cauce, an admirer of his work.

“Alfredo Arreguín filled the world with beauty,” Cauce said in a statement. “His legacy is all around us in his art. He made my spirit soar like the breaching orcas in his paintings.”]]

Death
Arreguín died in 2023 from cancer.