La Vida Loca Galeria Sheds Light on 'Shadow Artists'

Are you a shadow artist?  I don’t mean to ask if you make shadow puppets, or make bunny figures with the shadow of your hands on the wall. Or maybe you do. Or maybe you have a shoebox filled with short stories, or a half written novel hidden in the closet. Do you have sketches and paintings in the garage hidden from everyone?

Well, there are a lot of us out there. Those of us who don’t feel our art isn't quite good enough. Or who were discouraged by some creep of an art teacher when we were young. Or we know someone who is a “real” artist, and we feel we just don’t feel like what we can do compares.

Well, the good people at , Anita Acosta and Marla Street, are aware of shadow artists and are doing something to shed some light on them.

“We are committed to the development of emerging independent shadow artists of all ethnicities,” Acosta, the gallery’s owner tells Patch. “Shadow artists are those persons who don’t believe their art is ‘worth’ it. We are here to encourage them.”

Street, the gallery’s manger adds, “There are many, many talented artists in our community who are advised to keep their day job! Selling ones' art is difficult without promotion, exhibition and exposure," she said.   “Art comes in all forms, from oils on canvas to small decorative buttons, hand made purses and more.”

La Vida Loca Galeria is not just an art gallery, it is also a specialty boutique that sells vintage clothing for men, women and children, as well as jewelry, an eclectic selection of books and other fascinating things. It promotes local artists by offering art exhibits monthly.

The gallery also offers arts and crafts classes and conversational Spanish classes for ESL students on Saturdays.

Every Saturday from 12 to 4 pm, they offer a kid’s art project class for only $5, which includes all the materials.

The shop also supports The Josh Kandal 4 K-9s Foundation by donating 59 cents of each dollar spent on certain items to the Highland Park Humane Society. 

On Thursday, August 11, the gallery will partner with the artist group Culture Reference in a joint event with The York, just down the block. At 6:00 p.m. will be a screening of the documentary "The 90th Minute,” by filmmaker Jun Stinson, which explores the state of women's professional soccer in the U.S. followed by a discussion with the filmmaker. Then at 8:00 the opening reception for the show “Ladybugs” will be held at The York at 5018 York Blvd, featuring work by artist Susan Higo.

The art in the show explores how athletic and bars, which have been historically seen as masculine spaces, and asks us to interact with the art works that present how professional women's sports, and strong women, contrasts with traditional sports and masculine drinking.

There is always a lot going on at La Vida Loca Galeria.

Street shared this with Patch, "I feel privileged to be a part of this store that stands for our local artists, and our community. My personal goal for the store as manager is to impact the careers of the artist we support and bring attention to all of the community of Highland Park that supports artists."

So visit the place, and enjoy and appreciate.