About

CELEBRATING CULTURE

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Stephanie Mercado is an artist from Boyle Heights, Los Angeles. She is both an interdisciplinary artist and an art administrator. Her family's artisan background shapes her work. As a child, she was immersed in her mother's fabric store and her grandfather's upholstery business. Surrounded by seamstresses and other creative workers, she cultivated a deep appreciation for craftsmanship, instilling the tools, skills, and strong work ethic crucial for navigating life in Los Angeles.

In her role as an administrator, Stephanie is committed to broadening access to art education for individuals of all ages and supporting fellow artists. Her artistic pursuits encompass a variety of mediums, such as painting, printmaking, textiles, video, and design. The eclectic nature of her imagery draws inspiration from her lived experiences, cultural references, and the fusion of traditional printmaking with collage, illustration, and experimental practices. Stephanie Mercado’s focus in her artwork lies in the workforce, manual labor, and empowerment. Through her portraits, she pays homage to the dignity and contributions of workers, utilizing traditional techniques to underscore the intimate connection between laborers and their craft. Her art shines a light on the often-overlooked world of labor, capturing the essence of the working class. It delves into the impact of work on identity, mental well-being, and physical health, prompting reflection on how individuals can maintain a sense of self beyond their occupation. Each portrait created by Mercado encapsulates someone pursuing a dream, advocating for the dignity, respect, and appreciation inherent in every individual’s worth. These portraits are a catalyst for reflection, encouraging viewers to recognize and value the dignity present in every person. Stephanie received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Drawing and Painting from California State University Long Beach. In 2021, she was awarded a community focused public art mural for the Las Dahlias affordable housing complex in East Los Angeles, by National CORE. She has exhibited nationally and internationally including exhibitions in Norway, Italy, Spain and British Columbia. Her work can be found in the permanent collection of Metro Arts LA, the Mexic-Arte Museum in Austin, Texas, Tamarind Institute of Lithography’s archives at the University of New Mexico, and the Zuckerman Museum of Art, Kennesaw, Georgia.

DESIGN

PRINTMAKING & COLLAGE

ABOUT THE MURAL DESIGN

The mural design seamlessly blends traditional printmaking, collage, and illustration. Hand-carved relief stamps, featuring cultural references, household items, and portraits based on photos from East Los Angeles residents, are layered to create a dynamic landscape. Originally printed on paper, the artist collaged these elements before scaling up the artwork using acrylic paint on fabric—a process known as marouflage. The finished mural, consisting of 34 panels measuring approximately 32′ 3″ x 44′ 7″, was painted from October 2023 to January 15, 2024.

The artist conducted a community engagement strategy from 2021 – 2022 comprised of in-person and online workshops. Leaflets were distributed through local businesses in East Los Angeles, and there was a robust e-communications campaign.

The hand-printed elements were carved and printed in the Summer of 2022. The final design was approved in the Fall of 2022 by the staff at National Core and key stakeholders from the community.

LAS DAHLIAS AFFORDABLE APARTMENT COMPLEX

ABOUT LAS DAHLIAS AFFORDABLE APARTMENT COMPLEX

Las Dahlias an affordable apartment community is a transformational development that will convert six County-owned lots into a vibrant transit-oriented development. The vacant site will be transformed into a 78 unit affordable housing development in the heart of East Los Angeles.

The site is conveniently located along the Metro Gold line between the Maravilla rail station and the East LA Civic Center rail station, connecting nearby residents to job opportunities in downtown Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley.

The new apartment home community will provide a mix of studios, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, and potentially three-bedroom units with a range of community amenities. The designs have been crafted and modified to fit the community it will be surrounded by including the installation of local art, an array of exterior landscaping, and vibrant paint colors that will allow the development to blend in with other uses along 3rd Street. The apartment home community will provide a community center, public plaza, public art, interior landscaped courtyard, onsite parking, onsite laundry facilities and a rooftop garden.
The address is 4655 E. 3rd Street, Los Angeles, 90022