Hello my name is Idaly Flores Landeros, I am a Senior here at Chico State and I am majoring in Art Education. I have had a strong focus on painting over the last two years developing my artistic style. For years, I struggled to feel confident enough to call myself an artist. But that’s exactly what I am. I am an artist.
I always wanted to have an exhibit. I just never had a style developed that I was proud to display. These works are something I'm incredibly proud of and felt should be shared. When you have the ability to create, it should be shared. A lot of my work is incredibly personal, however this work felt different than other works I’ve created. It felt bigger than me, I feel proud to be able to open a conversation about Mexican culture with my community.
Growing up in the Central Valley, a career in Art was very out of the ordinary. Having an opportunity like this for artists to display their work with so much support has made the art sector less intimidating to pursue. It feels like I’m making little me proud, an art exhibition was something I always wanted to accomplish and would have makeshift ones growing up in my childhood bedroom with toy horses as guests. No more toys as guests, I’m excited to interact with others throughout my show, it's something I’m incredibly proud of. It’s also a sweet feeling having my immigrant parents attend their first art show and it being mine.
Charreria is Mexico's national sport, it's been a tradition in my family for years and has been a defining experience for me. It’s not just a sport, it’s a reflection of culture, pride, and identity. Growing up, I was always known as the “horse girl” or the “art girl,” so for my first exhibition, I wanted to merge both identities.
I wanted my show to reflect my experiences growing up in this rich culture, painting from personal photographs is a deeply emotional experience for me. As the daughter of immigrants, I’ve faced both triumphs and challenges that have shaped who I am. Through art, I revisit those memories, some joyful, others painful and allow myself to feel them fully. It’s a process, one that helps me understand and honor my past.
Art, for me, does what it’s meant to do, it pulls out the emotions I’ve buried or forgotten. My hope is that it does the same for those who encounter my work. I want viewers to see pieces of themselves in these paintings, to feel connected, moved, and seen. Hasta La Raíz was the title I decided on as it translates to “from the root”. My work is rooted in my upbringing, my experiences, and my cultural heritage. I pulled this work entirely from its roots, my roots, our roots.
Naming my pieces was one of the most fun parts of this process. While much of my past work has been left untitled, each painting in this exhibition felt like its own living entity, each one holding different memories and pulling a variety of emotions from within me. Every painting was a unique and beautiful experience to create, and I felt they each deserved their own name.
One piece I want to highlight is Sin Frontera. This exhibition centers around Charrería—a tradition rooted in community. It’s a celebration of the spirit that defines what it means to be Mexican. To be Mexican American, especially today, is not something to dilute. As the daughter of immigrants, I carry two hearts, one in Mexico and one in the United States, I hold pride in both.
In a time where immigrants continue to face hate, fear, and harmful propaganda, I felt a deep need to honor our stories. I wanted to shine a light on the heart, resilience, and humanity of immigrant families, especially those, like mine, who have endured the complicated and often painful realities. Growing up in California’s Central Valley, I witnessed firsthand the impact of immigrant labor. With nearly 900,000 immigrants in the region, many with limited English proficiency, I’ve seen how prejudice and systemic barriers affect our communities.
Sin Frontera depicts me embracing a beloved childhood horse, separated by a fence. The image can be interpreted in many ways, but to me, it speaks to the emotional strength and unwavering love within immigrant families. Despite borders, barriers, or fences, our love persists, powerful, unbroken, and without limits.