La Peña presents “Los 4 Amigos”, a group exhibition featuring artwork from Ed Acuña, Sam Coronado, Oscar Galvan, and Andrew J. Saldaña. Each one of these “4 Amigos” has a varied background where they have been involved in different artistic ventures and received many honors. These four artists are not only friends but also colleagues at Austin Community College, where they are Professors of Art. The desires to teach, guide, and inspire art students is one aspect that brings these four together. Their artwork will be on display at La Peña Gallery from October 10th through 27th with a reception taking place on Friday, October 13th from 6-8 pm.

Ed Acuña is originally from East Los Angeles, where he earned a BFA degree from the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles in California. He spent the last twenty five years as a successful commercial artist in the New York area. Acuña’s work can be seen in past issues of Golf Digest Magazine, in the movie “Happy Gilmore”, the poster for Clint Eastwood’s 1988 film “Bird”, and in the US Air Force’s permanent collection. He relocated to Austin, Texas to pursue his lifelong goal of combining his vast experience with commercial art with his passion for fine art and nature.

Sam Coronado began his career as an artist 29 years ago. He started working with Texas Instruments as a technical illustrator and has worked in the graphic and fine arts field ever since. He has owned art studios in Dallas, Houston, and Austin, and has illustrated books and magazines in the United States, Mexico, and France. Coronado was one of the three founders of Mexic-Arte Museum, Texas’ official Mexican and Mexican-American art museum. He is also the founder of the Serie Project, a non-profit organization whose mission is to create and promote serigraph prints created by Latino artists. His artwork has been exhibited nationally and internationally and Coronado has taught art and lectured about Chicano art in numerous museums, art schools, and universities across the United States.

Oscar Galvan grew up in Brownsville, Texas but has lived in the Austin area since he fell in love with it over thirty years ago. He studied art education at Texas State University in San Marcos with the intent of teaching. Then fate intervened and took him in another direction. For seventeen years, he counseled emotionally troubled teens as the director of a psychiatric halfway house. Galvan remembers that time of life as extremely rewarding and challenging. However, he felt something was missing and resigned shortly after turning forty to pursue a career as a fine artist. He spent the next two years rediscovering himself as an artist. Since then he has exhibited and won several awards for his acrylic paintings, prints, and mixed media wall sculptures.

Andrew J. Saldaña was born in Austin, Texas. He was the youngest of six children who were raised by a single mother. She spent much of her time providing for her family, which ironically allowed Saldaña the freedom to explore the world, become independent, and develop his creativity. He continued to develop his creativity through high school where he was accepted into the art magnet program. He was encouraged by his teachers and was on his way towards a career in art, but that was interrupted when he was drafted into the armed forces. As soon as he returned home, Saldaña enrolled in college to continue his art education. Afterwards, he began working as a commercial illustrator and graphic designer, and then transitioned into the fine art world. Since then his work has been able to reach a national audience through private collections and in museum and gallery exhibitions.