Last month the Contra Costa College library exhibited three new paintings. “Reflection”, “Back Then till’ Now” and “Future-Gen” were created for the library by CCC student Luis Mercado, who goes by the alias Nene.

Mercado is a Fine Arts major, and originally began attending CCC in 2000 but returned to continue his educational journey in 2016. In addition to previously having one of his paintings exhibited in the library across from the circulation desk, Mercado has contributed to the creation of multiple murals at CCC, and murals at various restaurants such as El Agave Azul in Richmond and Tacos El Tucan in San Rafael.

Mercado, who grew up in Mexico, said that his artistic journey began as soon as he could use his hands. Throughout his life, art has continued to be his chosen form of communication and he consistently makes an effort to seek out opportunities that allow him to showcase his creative language.

“I knock on doors, galleries, museums, everywhere,” he said. “Contra Costa College has been so generous with me that they accepted it [the three new paintings] based on a conversation.”

The new exhibition is a result of a friendship between Mercado and CCC librarian Andrew Kuo. According to Mercado, he had been regularly coming into the library and receiving help with his homework from Kuo when their conversations eventually led to Mercado showing Kuo some of his art. Mercado was then asked to create something for the library, which led to the three paintings that are now hanging near the library fireplace.

“Luis comes into the library periodically, and we’ve discussed his different project ideas over the last few years,” said Kuo in an email. “I’m so glad that this has been completed and is so beautiful. The library is proud to display CCC student artwork, and we’re always open to new ideas.”

CCC librarians Erica Watson and Amy Catania also weighed in on the new paintings and expressed their excitement toward the art over email.

“I’m so thrilled to have the Luis’ artwork displayed in the library! It brings creative energy to the space,” said Watson. “The mixture of abstract, colors, shapes, and brush strokes shows different sides to Luis’ artistic visions.”

Aside from being a decorative addition to the walls of the library, the art by Mercado has also highlighted the creativity from the student community at CCC.

“The library is a community space, and I think it is important for students to know that we appreciate their hard work and creativity,” said Catania.

The 60 x 60 acrylic on canvas paintings have an interwoven narrative and are meant to be viewed as a continuation rather than three separate pieces.

“Reflection” depicts a blue and yellow seaside scene that features a bird flying through the sky alongside a pier. According to Mercado, his aptly named painting captures the five elements of life and is supposed to represent how the decisions you make will reflect later on in your life.

The themes from “Reflection” translate into “Back Then till’ Now”, which illustrates a pyramid full of emojis, letters, and numbers with two figures standing next to each other: a skeleton near a gray background, and an anatomical human near a natural landscape which is connected to a monkey by a strand of DNA.

Mercado explained that “Back Then till’ Now” represents the shifts that have occurred throughout humanity from the homo-sapiens, the current aspects of modern life, and the loss of energy that occurs during death.

His third painting, “Future-Gen”, is the final piece in the exhibition. The colorful, geometric and futuristic looking portrait provides commentary on the connection between AI and humans and how the presence of AI is dependent on its human counterparts.

He explained that he draws inspiration from his life experiences when working to create his art which often blends abstract and surrealist styles. Other than using tools such as photo references to help him with his paintings, he explained that philosophy plays a crucial role in the development of his art.

Before starting a painting, Mercado often writes poems, creates quotes, and gathers his thoughts. He noted that without thoughts and writing, he wouldn’t be able to create any of his artwork. One such quote created by Mercado encapsulates his attitude toward the art he creates and how he views his creative process.

“The limit of an artist is the final edge of the canvas,” he said. “So art has no limits, right? But yes, we do.”

When asked what he hoped others would take away from his art, Mercado mentioned connectivity and reflection.

“Other than be decorative in somewhere, I try to communicate the moment that you might identify within a painting, and pause it, and reflect from it,” he said. “So a mindfulness moment, watching, viewing, admiring, some of the paintings and making that connection.”

Although Mercado confessed that he has struggled to have his art exhibited elsewhere, he remains optimistic that his art will continue to reach others in the future. For the time being, he has devoted himself to continuing his education and believes that by doing so his art will eventually be recognized on a wider scale.

“I do feel by educating myself, I learn a lot,” he said. “Education comes first, and I hope later on, maybe a gallery, a museum or something can be interested in seeing my language in visual art.”

Anyone who is interested in viewing more of Mercado’s paintings are encouraged to view his website.