Winter 2025

“I can relate to kids here because many of them are in the same kinds of situations I went through,” he shares. His mother dismissed Ortiz’s desire to create art. “She didn’t think of it as a job, and saw me having too much fun,” he recalls. “She comes from another world, but I couldn’t stop my human need to express myself this way.” At age 13, Ortiz found “canvases on the walls” and became a “graffiti writer;” eventually he created dozens of publics murals in Monterey County, was resident sculptor for the Western Stage Theater Company, and received a master’s degree in critical race and ethnic 138 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 2 5 Hijos del Sol instructors Josue David Rubio, founder José Ortiz, Angel Hernandez and Luis Contreras. Along with providing guidance to students, the team creates meaningful public murals throughout Monterey County. Ashley Rivas and Juli Jimenez with their canvases depicting the annual Day of the Dead, a celebration of life along with the sorrow of what could be the dark side of humanity. Photos: Kelli Uldall