Jessie Baca is a working artist living in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her work is inspired by Otomi textiles and showcases whimsical flora and fauna. As a fourth generation artist, she has always been obsessed with painting on anything BUT canvas. After serving her community as a destination event planner for 14 years, she was at a crossroads when the COVID pandemic hit and live events came to a grinding halt. As an entrepreneur, she knew something had to shift if she wanted to keep food on the table. Read Audio Transcription
“I picked up the paint brushes and did what I know to do.” says Jessie. Back in 2017 Jessie has been “side-hustling” painting on the windows and walls of local businesses and homes of Santa Fe in her whimsical style. In 2020, it became her full-time gig. With more requests for her art to be reproduced, she set out to create a custom printed textiles with her artwork on it. This was the birth of the “MexiModern” brand, showcasing modern folk art textiles and handmade goods. She continues to provide custom murals for her clients’ homes and businesses in her trademark painting style. Art in the Raw is a video series consisting of candid, upbeat conversations with creative people that can be viewed on YouTube. The guests include artists that work a wide range of mediums from visual arts to music and beyond. Conceived of by Anne Kelly in July of 2020, Art in the Raw’s mission is to keep people inspired and connected — and to produce content that is both entertaining and educational. New episodes are posted on YouTube every week.