On January 5, 2022, the Arts Division, in partnership with the Communications Department and Community & Legislative Affairs Division, released a request for proposals for digital 2D artworks to represent various multicultural holidays throughout the year. The deadline to respond to the call to artists was March 2, 2022, which was then extended to March 31, 2022. The City received 22 proposals in response to holidays listed in the call to artists. The selected artworks will be shared on the city’s social media channels and website.

Hispanic Heritage Month - September 15 – October 15, 2022

Came Moreno

www.camemoreno.com

IG: @camemoreno

Artwork title: Amazon Indigenous Women

Artwork medium: Painting

Artist's Statement: This work was inspired by a 25-year-old woman from the Amazon named Samela Satera Mawe. She is an indigenous activist and a Biology student, she believes that if the jungle dies, her Amazon tribe will too. She fights for the rights of the jungle and the community. Within the work there are elements of great universal symbolism such as the snake, the sun, the moon, the different chromatic colors with organic elements.

Rosh Hashanah (start of Jewish New Year) – September 26, 2022

Karen Hochman Brown

www.hochmanbrown.com

IG: @hochmanbrown

Artwork Title: A Sweet Year

Artwork Medium: Digital Art

Artist's Statement: In Judaism, apples are a symbol of beauty, sweetness and the hope for prosperity. Their hardiness represents strength and growth, and such it is fitting that Jews around the world eat apples on Rosh Hashanah. At the top of the year, we wish each other a sweet year by dipping slices of apple in honey to symbolize our hope for goodness in the year to come. The mandala form created from photographs of a variety of apples in this artwork has six branches, reflecting the Magen David, or Star of David, that is an international token of the Jewish faith.

National Coming Out Day – October 11, 2022

Dylan Smith

www.hairpopoutmania.com

IG: @dancerdylan

Artwork Title: Out N Proud

Artwork medium: Acrylic Paint Pens

Artist's Statement: My submission for National Coming Out Day reflects the importance, history and vibrancy of the LGBTQ+ flag. My goal was to illustrate a human being that is very much comfortable and confident with their place in society... a person that exudes positivity and hope and inspires others to be "out n proud" as well! It was important for me to display a face that has various skin tones as a way to show diversity and inclusion, both of which are very important to me as an artist. If I can bring a smile to someone's face or uplift them through my artwork, then I am accomplishing what I what I have set out to do.

Diwali (Festival of Lights) – October 24, 2022

Haro Istamboulian

WWW.WHOISHARO.COM

IG: @whoisharo

Artwork Title: Prayer

Artwork medium: Photograph

Artist's Statement: Sometimes, the simplest, most minimal detail in an image may have the most power behind its meaning. The simple, subtle image conveys beauty around its dark negative space - the only way light can be shone. All the while displaying its purpose: candle-in-hand for this years festival of lights for our Jain, Hindu and Sikh brothers and sisters and anyone who would love to celebrate.

Lunar New Year – January 23, 2023

Miggie Wong

www.miggiewong.com

IG: @mwhouses

Artwork Title: CNY (Chinese New Year) 1987

Artwork medium: Watercolor painting

Artist's Statement: It was 1987 in Hong Kong. I was standing behind the floral display with my stuffed animal. The Peach Blossom was picked by my parents from a flower market at the Lunar New Year Fair. It was displayed delicately on the antique Chinese porcelain with peacock and blossom deco. The red Fai Chun displayed on the wall was written by my parents. It was a phrase wishing for “improvement in academic studies”.  On the table, English treats like chocolate and biscuits were not to be missed, red and round Chinese candy box was also fully stocked with melon seeds and dried peanuts. A joyful activity as a child was to collect Lei Si, red envelopes given by my parents and other married couples. On the 15th day of the New Year, I would unfold the pile of red envelopes and store the collected fortune in my treasure box.

Black History Month – February 2023

LP Ækili Ross

www.LPAEKiLi.art

IG: @LPAE38

Artwork medium: Stencil Collage (103 Layers)

Artwork Title: Nation Rebuilt

Artist's Statement: In Swa·hi·li /swäˈhēlē/ is a Bantu language widely used in West Africa, bwanna mwalimu translates to “master teacher”, one who has developed their gifts and skills to be of deep service to their community. This series celebrates the Bwanna Mwalimu that have been leaders and champions for civil rights in the BIPOC community.  Martin Luther King Jr. is revered as the most effective of civil-rights leaders in the last century, who was maligned for his positive, anti-violence agenda, call for racial equality, and end to discrimination against the black people in America. My portrait is a stencil collage with 103 layers of different textures and colors.

Nowruz/Norooz – March 21, 2023 (Spring Equinox) - April 3, 2023

Parisa Parnian

www.savagemuse.com

IG: @savagemuse

Artwork Title: Nowruz Pirooz

Artwork medium: Digital Art

Artist's Statement: The Persian holiday of Nowruz is a wonderful celebration of rebirth and renewal.  One of the things I love about this holiday is that it is very inclusive and Iranians and other cultures of all religious and non-denominational backgrounds come together to celebrate this ancient holiday. I chose to represent the Nowruz holiday via a few symbolic icons that are often present at the sofreh/altar, which is a key aspect of this two week long celebration. The symbols I chose to use are the hyacinth flower, the sprouted grass and the fish. The person in this art is based off of the moon/sun-faced "Khorshid" aesthetic from Persian paitings- a style which I often use in my own artwork. As a nod to my own layered identity as a queer Iranian immigrant as well as to the City of West Hollywood, I surrounded the Korshid Womxn with rainbow colored goldfish.

Juneteenth – June 19, 2023

David Roshay

www.djroshay.com

IG: @djroshay

 Artwork title: Free-ish

Artwork Medium: Digital Art

Artist's Statement: This artwork reflects the Freedom of black people in America aka Juneteenth. I chose an all white dress to represent the cotton that black people had to pick during the slavery era.