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Home >> News & Events >> Newsletter Archive >> April-May 2007 >> Ignacio Arguello, Jr.

Gang Member Changes Life Through Art Mentoring

It’s been over a year since Create Now! received a call from Ms. Avallone, the Principal of James Fenimore Cooper Community Day School in San Pedro. This continuation school has 150 students who are all considered at-risk of not graduating from high school. Many of the kids have discipline problems, are drug users or are pregnant teens, and 40% of these students eventually drop out. Ms. Avallone hoped that we might be able to help one of them, a bright and talented artist named Ignacio.

Just over a year ago, when Ignacio Arguello, Jr. was 17 years old, he had a busy social life that revolved around his gang called GAC (“Ghetto and Crazy”). Ignacio was active with the Tag Crew, spraying graffiti wherever he could. He never knew his father and was staying with his aunt, uncle, cousins and grandmother in a small apartment in San Pedro because of family problems and gang issues in Long Beach. Ignacio told Create Now! staff, “Nobody really helps me. Nobody really tells me, ‘Don’t go to jail. Don’t bang,’ you know.”

We wanted to help this young man, so Create Now! found a one-on-one mentor that would change Ignacio’s life, Carlos Valdivia. Carlos and his wife Naomi are both amazingly gifted artists who are raising their two young children in Camarillo, while working hard to promote their artwork through the company Beenz n Rice. Carlos was very enthusiastic about volunteering as a mentor for Ignacio, even though he lived 70 miles away, hours in L.A. traffic. He was very impressed with the quality of Ignacio’s artwork and wanted to make a difference in his life. Fortunately, Carlos’ in-laws lived close to San Pedro and he was determined to make the relationship work by visiting him regularly, and keeping in touch through phone calls and email.

“When Create Now! contacted me, I was struggling as a freelance artist, with two young children to support. But I remembered how I always wanted to have somebody point me in the right direction with art, and to teach me the fundamentals as I was coming up. I figured that even if I wasn’t where I wanted to be in terms of my own work, I could at least help someone else get closer to their goal.”

Carlos was very impressed specifically with the quality of Ignacio’s pen and ink drawings, and his keen desire to learn and grow as an artist. He shared Create Now! ’s belief that this young man is gifted and has a unique vision of the world, one that needs to be communicated. Create Now! gave Ignacio his own Macintosh computer system with art software and a special art tablet, along with colored pencils and markers.  We're grateful to Strathmore Artist Papers for donating sketch pads. Additionally, Carlos gave him several art books and taught Ignacio some basic techniques. He encouraged him to draw from what he experienced in his environment, and to study light and texture.

Ignacio has flourished through his mentor. “Carlos is teaching me how to be a better person and a better artist. Just being like a shy guy and withdrawing, not showing anyone my drawings, he’s showing me how to come out and express my art and show everyone that I could be somebody!”

Carlos has embraced Ignacio as if he’s part of his family. He took him to a professional drawing class, and visited the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Ignacio was amazed at the incredible artwork on display and Carlos rewarded him for his hard work with his own membership card. “He surprised me with his observations and sincere interest,” his mentor says proudly.

Life for Ignacio has not been easy and he has had to face many challenges along his path to discovering his talent. When he dropped out of his gang, he was badly beaten and it took him some time to heal. He had to move out of San Pedro, and now he’s back living with his mother and 10 year-old step-brother in Long Beach.

Ignacio once took a knife to school, to defend himself against his former gang members and rivals, and was arrested for possessing a weapon. But in spite of these setbacks, Carlos has stood by to give him guidance and support. “Ignacio is a pretty decent kid. I like helping him out. He’s got a lot to deal with at such a young age and he’s had to grow up quickly in many ways. He’s a strong young man and I’ve been impressed with his passion towards his family and self-belief. He’s very talented and a quick learner. My goal is to get him to channel his gifts in a positive direction and to distance himself from negative influences.”

Ignacio is already on the right track. Carlos gave his mentee a book on the human anatomy, and Ignacio is now  experimenting with his creativity. We encouraged him to use color, and you can see the results in the image on the right.

Naomi Valdivia recently had a showing of her digital artwork at the Lost Soul’s Café in downtown L.A.. Carlos brought Ignacio to see Naomi’s work exhibited. He was a fantastic teacher, as he pointed out the various styles of art displayed. He taught his protégé about different techniques, and how to sell his original artwork at galleries

Now that Ignacio is 18, he’s more serious about having a career. Through the encouragement of his mentor and Create Now! , he is finishing high school and plans to devote himself to a career in art. “I want to do art 24/7. Carlos is teaching me how to get in the business and how to do something with my life. I’ve really improved a lot from being in Create Now! ” As a mentor, Carlos has also gotten more out of the experience than even he imagined, “Helping Ignacio even for this short period of time has already helped to improve my own artistic life. Since our meeting, I've become Lead Creative Designer for Nexgenpkg, a start up with a promising future here in Ventura. I love mentoring Ignacio, and this is just the beginning!”

Create Now! is continuing to support Ignacio in reaching his dreams by supplying him with more art materials, such as watercolors, acrylics and other supplies. We have also arranged for him to exhibit his artwork at the 10th Anniversary Youth and Identity Festival in Barnsdall Theater, Hollywood on Friday evening, June 1st, as well as at other venues where Ignacio will learn how to make money by selling his artwork. We are proud of everything Ignacio has done to change his life, and of his mentor Carlos for being the catalyst in helping Ignacio discover his talent. We have no doubt we will continue to see great success from this young man.

Click an image below to enlarge in a separate window

 

This project is supported, in part, by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the

Los Angeles County Arts Commission.