Tinderbox: Vesper Meadow

Signal Fire announces Gabriel Barrera as 2021 Tinderbox Artist in Residence at Vesper Meadow. The artwork created at this residency will be on display at Vesper Meadow as part of the Art Beyond outdoor art festival this summer, organized by Schneider Art Museum. Tinderbox Artists in Residence are embedded in grassroots environmental advocacy organizations. Artists receive a stipend, and work closely with the staff and volunteers in the office and the field to develop a body of work specific to the experience. This partnership exists at the intersection of multiple artist communities, regional social justice initiatives, and decolonized environmental stewardship showcasing the capacity of interdisciplinary coalition building across the Rogue Valley.

Originally from Southern California, Gabriel Barrera is a Mexican American/Xicanx visual artist living in Southern Oregon. He works in various mediums including traditional art methods, multimedia and graphics. His artwork is rooted in social justice, advocacy, and youth mentorship. Gabriel received a BFA from Pratt Institute and has worked for over 20 years as a scenic artist in theaters such as South Coast Repertory, Oregon Shakespeare Festival and numerous colleges. He currently operates ScenicG, a visual art and design company providing services in art/design, workshops, consultation, facilitation and mentorship.

“We are excited to collaborate with Gabriel, because with his art, he brings a lens of social justice and will be able to portray the complex relationships between people and land over time,” says Jeanine Moy, Director of the Vesper Meadow Restoration Preserve. Located 30 minutes east of Ashland and 45 minutes west of Klamath Falls, Vesper Meadow is a rare highland meadow prioritizing native food plant cultivation and ecological values through partnership with scientists, Tribes, artists, educators, and other community leaders.

This is the fourth Signal Fire Tinderbox Residency and the second based in Southern Oregon (in 2020, Erica Alexia Ledesma was the Tinderbox Artist in Residence at Rogue Climate).