Artist's Paintings Dedicated to the People Who Love, Work the Land

By Judith Kahn

Jay Mercado thinks big. On one wall of his Richmond District studio, two large paintings hang. One depicts a female migrant worker and the other a male migrant worker. The paintings are bold, with earth-tone colors capturing the expressions on their faces.

Vibrant and sensual in manner, Mercado's paintings tell a story, whether it is of workers cutting plump clusters of grapes from their vines or the unfolding bloom of a vintage rose. All executed with attention to detail, such as the 48-inch square triptych of a grape harvest. In the painting, the veins and knuckles on the worker's hands are featured.

Mercado is particularly proud of a commission he received from the National Bank in Santa Barbara in 2005 because the paintings from that project portray a subject that is dear to him. The bank commissioned murals that would feature agricultural laborers, since agriculture is the largest industry in the region.

"The hard work of a farming lifestyle is an essential element in all our lives. It contains timeless rituals filled with a rainbow of emotions," Mercado said. "My grandfathers were intimate with this truth, and I'm just beginning to recognize it."

Mercado said he has a respect for the workers who perform hard labor planting, nurturing and harvesting the state's various crops.

"They give me a direction towards which I continue to aspire," he said.

Mercado works at his home studio in the Richmond. He is descended from a long line of agricultural workers. The artist was born in Sioux City, Iowa, near the family farm. Both of Mercado's grandfathers were farmers. Although he was born in Iowa, Mercado grew up in San Francisco, where he remembers United Farm Workers President Cesar Chavez fighting for the rights of migrant laborers.

"Cesar Chavez had integrity of purpose, and a robust truthfulness, which continues to inspire me," he said. "These traits give me a direction towards which I continue to aspire."

The painting process and the writing process are very similar, according to Mercado. In both processes, many steps are taken until the work comes to fruition. He starts with his rough sketches, which he refers to as doodles or scribbles. Each sketch represents an image which may or may not be developed further. From these sketches he forms compositions, which eventually evolve into finished drawings. It is the strongest design that is transferred to a panel wrapped with linen.

Mercado makes his own canvases by wrapping linen on boards. This allows him to work briskly on a large hard surface without fear of it ripping. The creation starts when it is blocked-in with acrylic paint, which identifies the painting's basic shapes. Next, he abandons the acrylics and paints the final image with oils.

He works on several paintings simultaneously. Jay was strongly influenced by the Mexican Mural movement and the Workers Progress Administration (WPA) mural movements. He said some of the most exciting art was created by unknown craftsmen, who were so driven by their work that they created timeless, commanding masterpieces. He also sights the Ludovis Sarcophagus, carved in early Rome, and the captivating decorative pottery of the ancient Maya as some of his favorite artworks.

Mercado began drawing as a child while taking classes at the old M.H. de Young Memorial Museum. As an adult, he studied art at UCLA, Art Center College of Design, CCAC and Academy of Art College. His career as an artist began as a freelance illustrator. He then got a chance to paint at the renowned Robert Walker Mural Studio, working on corporate projects in Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

He also enjoyed his experiences at the Madonnari Italian Street Painting Festival, which is held at Santa Barbara's Old Mission. He no longer participates in the festival, but is a strong supporter of it because it saves street-painting squares for professional and practicing artists. During the festival, the streets are transformed into a color-splashed gallery as artists use chalk to create street art.

Mercado said he would like to travel more so he could experience cultural variety. He says he is drawn to Latin and South America.

Mercado's studio is located at 4754 California St. The public can visit his studio by appointment. His number is (415) 751-4232 and his Web site is at www.jaymercado.com.