About
Evelyn Olvera’s artistic practice is multidisciplinary, investigating traditional and digital mediums and the intersection of the housing crisis, gentrification, and climate change. She was raised by her two parents who emigrated from Mexico in the 80s and attributes her strong sense of cultural identity to her parents. As a native of the Coachella Valley who moved to Los Angeles at the age of eighteen, it was the juxtaposition that inspired her to document and archive these distinct regions as she has experienced them. In addition to her rendered paintings, Olvera often incorporates augmented reality into her work.
Olvera is an alumna of California State University, Long Beach, where she received her bachelor's degree in Art Education and single-subject teaching credential in Art. Olvera’s lexicon in Art Education was furthered at Teachers College, Columbia University, where she received her master’s degree in Art Education. She possesses a CTE Art, Media, and Entertainment (AME) and Manufacturing and Product Development (MPD) clear credential. She is the first in her family to have earned an undergraduate or graduate degree.
Evelyn Denise Olvera / PAINTER + DIGITAL ARTIST
>Artist-Statement< [04.24.2023]
The widening wealth gap has created a housing shortage pricing out low-income families in Los Angeles to the exurbs and out-of-state. Municipalities ignored sustainability and equity and allowed historically poor neighborhoods to be gentrified. Augmented Reality lenses accompany Olvera’s paintings to immerse the viewer into the scene and amplify these concerns. The colors used to traditionally paint the landscape are often muted and neutral to capture the environment. Chromatic details, layers, or three-dimensional models are later incorporated to capture the dichotomies between the past and future. Digital layers are applied in her work to reference gentrification and single-family sprawl in that digital layers are not permanent and can easily be altered–paralleling how the landscape is ever-changing.
Los Angeles is experiencing a critical housing crisis due to restrictive single-family zoning ordinances and a lack of housing density. The proliferation of tract homes in xeric and flammable areas does not address the climate and housing crisis, it exacerbates them. As more people move away from the city, traffic congestion becomes progressively severe and we see more car dependency–contributing to our carbon emissions and vehicle accidents. Stars, fires, homes, vehicles, and memorial crosses are motifs within Olvera’s work to reference the consequences of single-family sprawl. Not allowing for more affordable housing to be built in Los Angeles is driving people to the exurbs, where the weather can be unbearable, people are car-dependent, and there is a lack of diversity, community resources, and educational and economic opportunities.