Written by: Francisco M. Sanchez
The arts and artists have sadly always been considered solo ventures. To become a writer, painter, filmmaker, or any other creative pursuit, we believe it must be done on our own time, by ourselves, and preferably as a hobby. When we were younger, our imaginations, willingness to experiment and play, and possibilities seemed endless. Yet, as we age and mature, we relinquish our creative juices to adopt a “recognizable and safe” path toward success and happiness.
Now that I am square in middle age, I see how incorrect that way of thinking art is. On behalf of the Eagle Pass Digital Arts Society, I would like to offer some possible mental reframes to adjust our thinking and living accordingly. We should think and invest accordingly in the creative act of art-making for our kids, the same way we think of organized sports in our lovely city of Eagle Pass. Our hometown, it is embedded into our institutions, by which I mean, our excellent Parks and Recreation department, our Eagle Pass Independent School District, and all of the other private sports leagues that marinate the idea that everyone CAN and SHOULD be a part of sports.
Not only do we believe everyone CAN and SHOULD be a part of sports, but Eagle Pass institutions invest in parks, gyms, staff, and directors so that most of our community’s children can be served. Community involvement in sports injects money back into our local economies by filling hotels due to tournaments, purchasing equipment and snacks for our athletes, and more. The city of Eagle Pass and its citizens further reap the benefits from layers of institutional investment and engagement by having our youngsters earn scholarships and other financial assistance for their training and skills obtained in their youth spent in sports.
From my perspective as a parent, we all know that not all of our children are destined to make a living by becoming professional athletes and we accept and acknowledge that our kids may not earn a full scholarship. However, we agree that being a part of organized sports is highly beneficial either way. As an art enthusiast, I do not understand why this town, as a whole, does not see how art can be equally beneficial to the youth, parents, our community, and to the future art professionals that Eagle Pass has, and will, also launch into the world.
Eagle Pass Digital Arts Society wants to provide an equivalent to organized sports in the form of organized arts. These three pillars are the foundation of our organization:
- Advocacy – Advocating the benefits of the arts, endorsing art in public spaces, and promoting local artists.
- Art Education – Providing those developing artists a space to grow in the form of classes and workshops
- Creating opportunities – Offering opportunities for artists via mentorships, a support system , and exhibitions.
The arts have had outstanding champions working towards serving the community in isolated efforts, Mr. Diego Diaz with the Art Trike, Mr. Santos Polendo with the Night Owl Studio, Mr. Jesse Fuentes with the Frontera Film Festival, and Mr. Francisco Sanchez with Eagle Public Radio, to name a few. There have been many more ,like those of Mr. Ruben Martinez, his murals and statues initially inspired a few of us to take on the reins of championing the arts. However, our divided efforts are insufficient to instill an acceptance, nay, a radical adoption of art, design, and beauty by our institutions. EPDAS is here to transcend all our efforts for a more incredible mosaic of energy, skills, talents, and power to empower our children, local artists, and art enthusiasts. We ask that you join us in bringing art, design, and beauty to the rest of our community.
English