Photo courtesy Maria Orozco
Maria Orozco
The uptown area of Racine has been slowly but surely experiencing a resurgence in the past few years with the establishment of places like The Branch, The Plant Lady and Mahogany Gallery. There have also been numerous events promoting small culinary businesses.
In addition to new places and businesses, Uptown Racine has also had an abundance of murals by local artists on its exterior walls. One of the people responsible for initiating this artwork is Maria Orozco, the community engagement director of the group Art for Uptown. Orozco is also a jewelry artist with her own business, Mariposa Mexican Jewelry, which pays tribute to her Mexican heritage and the spirit of the butterfly. This interview discusses how Art for Uptown promotes diverse cultures and businesses
Explain how you became acquainted with Racine’s art community.
About a year ago, during the pandemic, I started creating my own jewelry pieces by hand. I was making sunflowers, butterflies, and roses. I also did a collaboration with Sergio Molina called the Esperanza Collection where I was making earrings from his coffee beans. That’s how I started getting more involved in the community; Kristina Campbell and Joanna Luebke saw that I was very involved and wanted to bring me in more.
How have Uptown’s art scene and diverse businesses impacted Racine?
I think it’s something much needed. Right now, we’re in a period of time where we need more inclusion in our communities. The diversity in Racine Uptown’s businesses and artists are a micro example of how we would like our future community to flourish. In recent years, there has been a push for our community to become more diverse and accepting of one another. We have people of all colors and cultural backgrounds in this area uniting to share their culture. Our love for our city and culture is what will create a brighter future full of colors.
Stay on top of the news of the day
Subscribe to our free, daily e-newsletter to get Milwaukee's latest local news, restaurants, music, arts and entertainment and events delivered right to your inbox every weekday, plus a bonus Week in Review email on Saturdays.
Has the City of Racine had any influence on the art of you and your peers?
All the artists that are involved in Uptown Racine are interested in making our city a brighter place. We want to change the rhetoric in our community. We want it to be known that our city is full of love and unity. We are coming together to create art that will bring us closer to one another.
What is the link between your heritage and your art?
It’s hard living in a place where you’re constantly having to morph your personality to fit your environment. We live in a very English-speaking community, so in order for me not to lose my culture, I’ve decided that I wanted to start experimenting through art with my jewelry. I think culture causes us to thrive more, that’s our core fuel to get through anything.
Can art encourage diversity?
Art is always based on the individual and within this community, there are so many individuals. Each individual experience is something different so the more you connect to people in your community with different points of view, it will create more unity. I think that’s something people should consider when they’re trying to merge into an art scene.
Where do you see the Uptown art community going in the future?
I think it’s going to keep growing. I keep seeing more businesses opening and the more people that stay in this community, the better. Basically, our goal is to keep people here and have them experience Racine.
