Hi my names Lerida Armendariz, but all my students know me as Ms. Ledi! I am a local teaching artist who has been working with ARTS for  2.5 years. I graduated from SDSU with a BA in Studio Arts, so my medium for creating art is always changing. I mostly make paintings, drawings, and piñatas but I also love to incorporate crochet to these pieces when I can. The work that I am lucky enough to do everyday truly inspires the art I make, so you can find themes of happiness that are reinforced by the bright and fun color palettes I use.

First Generation Student, Graduated from SDSU with a Bachelor’s in Psychology. I have been with ARTS for about 1 year, I am currently a Teaching Artist for Arts on Campus. I believe that creativity has no boundaries and everyone can create amazing art. I love basing my art practice around affordable art making, mixed media seems to be my comfort art form as of late.

I’m Jess Garcia and I am local artist teaching art here at A Reason To Survive. In my art I tend to explore a lot of pop culture and all things cute and collectible. I draw a lot of inspiration from natural elements and everyday objects. I studied in Art History with an emphasis on East Asian Art History for my B.A. and my work with students influences my mixed media artworks. I’m interested in creating keepsakes you can customize with an easy template to work on!

My growth as a visual artist goes hand-in-hand with my time spent teaching at ARTS. My tendency to switch between various drawing and painting media in my private practice constantly returns me to the headspace of my students, who are often using these materials and techniques for the first time. My reward is helping students find the forms and styles that they personally connect to, from abstract to realism, and seeing them surprised at what they are able to create.

Andrea is an emerging Chicana fronteriza multimedia artist, writer and educator based in the Tijuana - San Diego borderlands. As a Program Assistant for ARTS on Campus sustained by her Anthropological background, her work is deeply rooted in her experiences growing up in-between borders and the powerful ways of storytelling, healing and transformation that go along with the bridging potential of art. As a multimedia ceramic artist her art practice is a practice of freedom, healing of the self, identity and honoring her roots through the exploration of artisanship. She is inspired by the many ways creative potential along with education can nurture communities, personhood and visions of compassionate transformative change.

Katie Carrion is a visual artist and nonprofit professional based in San Diego, California. Her work spans project management, rehabilitative art practices, teaching, and mentorship, with a focus on making art accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds. Through her professional and creative work, Katie uses art as a tool for healing. Her work explores feelings and experiences that are handcrafted and illustrated stories.

Sierra is a visual artist exploring mental health & addiction through surreal art. Based in SD, she earned her BA in Fine Art from SDSU in 2024.