Student Voices

The Spring 2025 semester began by welcoming the Kalli Arte Collective as the inaugural Virginia A. Orndorff Artists-in-Residence. Self-taught artists Adriana Carranza and Alfonso Aceves, the parents who anchor the collective, brought a community-rooted practice to the department that integrated students, faculty, and the broader CSUN community into their work.

Throughout the 15-week residency, Adriana and Alfonso worked with students across disciplines, offering mentorship, collaborative opportunities, and insights into what it means to build a life and career rooted in culture, connection, and experimentation. The residency was integrated into departmental programming and curriculum, including studio visits, workshops, artist talks, and hands-on collaboration with students in classes such as Exhibition Design, Printmaking, Ceramics, Painting, Art Education, Graphic Design, and Art History.

The Exhibition Design class, taught by Dr. Mario Ontiveros, collaborated with the collective and with the University Art Galleries. Learning from Dr. Ontiveros and Gallery Director Holly Jerger, students documented and curated the culminating exhibition Our Sun Will Rise, which showcased Kalli Arte’s work alongside collaborative pieces made with students. Through this class, students developed practical skills in gallery installation, design, and professional presentation though collaborating with the Art Galleries. Studio visits gave students an intimate look into the collective’s sketchbooks, creative processes, and cultural references, with many citing this experience as a key moment in their academic journey.

Workshops and classroom visits across disciplines enriched the residency further. Kalli Arte led professional development sessions and shared their experiences in navigating the art world as self-taught, community-centered artists. Their presence challenged the conventional definitions of success in art by emphasizing accessibility, authenticity, and social responsibility. Printmaking student Josh Jimenez noted that Kalli Arte “taught me that sometimes it's okay to just be yourself… the most important thing is the community and experience gained from it”.

Graduate students like Kat Tagorda and Becky Savell played pivotal roles as studio assistants and documentarians. Tagorda reflected on the energy and cohesion fostered among student assistants: “The trust we had in each other made us feel like a well-oiled machine. That dynamic was no coincidence—it was shaped by Adriana and Alfonso.” Becky Savell echoed this sentiment, highlighting how the studio became a welcoming space where “all could convene and participate in making art and enjoy friendly conversation”.

Students also engaged with Kalli Arte’s experimental shift into ceramics, observing and participating in the creation of ceramic tiles pressed from linoleum molds—bridging the gap between printmaking and sculpture. This willingness to explore new mediums without hesitation was cited as inspiring and influential. For many students, such as Cezar Cozianu and Jose Galvan Martinez, the residency reshaped their perceptions of collaborative practice and artistic identity.

The final exhibition served as both a celebration and culmination of this rich exchange. Held in the CSUN Art Galleries, Our Sun Will Rise displayed the collective’s vibrant and culturally infused artwork alongside contributions from students. It represented more than an art show, it was a testament to shared labor, community-building, and mutual respect.

As CSUN’s first Orndorff Artists-in-Residence, Kalli Arte set a powerful precedent. Their integration into the life of the department demonstrated the potential of artist residencies not only to enhance technical skill and academic understanding but to foster empathy, cultural pride, and enduring mentorship. In the words of student Norma-Jean Knight, “Kalli Arte’s art has brought the art department’s community together in a way that I don't believe any other artist collective could”.

Kalli Arte’s residency not only created new opportunities for students to engage directly with working artists, it redefined how those students see themselves, their communities, and their futures as artists.