Artists enjoyed the liberty to showcase their infinite creativity at this South San Francisco art exhibition which featured over 60 two and three dimensional artworks. Scroll down to view the award-winning entries. Click on the images to enlarge them. Visit www.ssfca.gov/CulturalArts for more information.

*Please note that the City of South San Francisco does not endorse or receive funds to advertise any of the third party sites or services listed or referenced on this page. 
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The South San Francisco Cultural Arts Commission supports, promotes and protects community interest and diversity in art, culture and creative expression.
To make a donation or for more information on other SSF Cultural Art programs, visit www.ssfca.gov/CulturalArts.

By Evangelina Portillo

Acrylic Painting on canvas

Cultural Arts Commission Award

"Honoring the journey of all immigrants, Image of the Virgen de Guadalupe captures the harsh realities of the migrant experience. She gives hope for the future, endurance to the less fortunate. Humanity coming together for human rights against deportation and all cruelty the world is experiencing."

By Melissa Willett

Handmade book on paper with watercolor

3rd Place: 3-Dimensional

"See Me

Through the layers

Motherhood is beautiful

Gilded and Blooming

I am underneath

Obscured

I am here

Please don't forget me"

By Laurie Ratliff

Mixed media
2nd place: 3-Dimensional

"Metastatic breast cancer isn’t pretty in pink. It’s constructing silver linings out of medical necessities. It’s a body and life retrofitted. Under the veneer of “thriving” is the foundation of surviving."

By Laurie Ratliff

Found object assemblage, mixed media
1st place: 3-Dimensional

"As I walk through life and my neighborhood, I find the things that other people have lost. I often wonder how each item got there; it’s a story I’ll never know. But things lost are fascinating reminders of the many lives being lived all around us. Is one of these lost stories yours?"

By Marilyn Jane Foley

Photography

Honorable Mention: 2-Dimensional

"I did not set out to photograph the sky. I was standing at the edge of the water, and the sky simply took over-the way weather does sometimes, insisting on itself until there's nothing else."

By Elizabeth Wilberg

Watercolor on vellum

Honorable Mention: 2-Dimensional

"I am a gardener and I have always been attracted to botanical art. I had an irregular piece of vellum, and I thought the shape of the branch would lend itself to this subject with the small red apples and clumps of green leaves."

By Suzanne Notario

Mixed media collage

Honorable Mention: 2-Dimensional

"Built through layers of cut paper and textured surfaces, this collage celebrates a visual ecosystem. Tropical forms overlap creating a living tapestry. The layered construction encourages viewers to move between close observation and memory to discover new relationships within this composition."

By Lucy Trinh

Painted rocks

Honorable Mention: 3-Dimensional

"I try to express myself through my rocks."

By Mark Dobrin

Watercolor

3rd place: 2-dimensional

"My art highlights the restorative power of nature as a form of spiritual practice to convey peace and quiet joy. My process involves a spontaneous, energetic approach, allowing landscapes and florals to reveal themselves naturally as pigment and light mingle on the surface to capture the beauty."

By Karthika Baiju

Oil paint, oil pastels and ink on canvas
2nd place: 2-Dimensional

"A Time of Forgotten Freedom shows a moment from my childhood in Kerala, when my mother would get me ready for school every morning. The work holds memory, language, and identity, and the fragile effort of preserving what feels at risk of being forgotten."

By Krafty Kutz

Mixed Media Collage
1st place: 2-Dimensional | BEST IN SHOW

"Inspiration drawn from opposing forces, I faced from my experiences in Punk Rock and Rave scenes many years ago, while simultaneously conforming to mainstream accepted personal appearance. The central character, surrounded by free spirited creatives, yells to relieve the suffocation of his soul - the source of individuality and creativity."

By Vindy Chan

Air-Dry Clay

Honorable Mention: 3-Dimensional

"This piece began in imperfection, built layer by layer—like life. We grow through setbacks and disappointment. Embrace flaws, learn patiently, and your moment will come. As an experienced adult, I tell young people: you don’t need to be perfect. Be happy, keep growing, and enjoy the process."