Daphne Art Foundation presents “Onward AiR,” a collective exhibition featuring artwork created by 14 former Cultivarte Laredo Artists-in-Residence. The exhibition opens with an Artist Reception on Friday, March 21, at Casa Daphne which is located at 1420 Washington Street.
The evening will include a live musical performance by local artist David Montoya. The event is free and open to the public.
“Onward AiR” showcases the first three Cultivarte Laredo Artists-in-Residence (AiR) Cohorts that Daphne Art Foundation hosted from 2021-2023. Cultivarte Laredo was initiated in 2019 to foster a supportive culture for visual, performing, and media artists in our border region. The vision of a thriving creative community where artists are inspired by the exchange of ideas, feel supported as they cultivate their intentions through their artistic practices, and help develop re-imagined spaces of art with access to meaningful resources is what inspired the AiR program.

Jaiteca by Itzel Vilches
Laredo-based artists exhibiting their artwork include Alexa Hernandez, Krista Quintanilla, Erika Ordoñez, Alexander Barron, Homero Salazar, and Martha Viera. Other exhibiting artists include Victoria Marquez (Austin), Juan de Dios Mora (San Antonio), Karla Gabriela De La Fuente (Mission), Itzel Vilches (North Carolina), Nestor (Chicago), Josue Ramírez (Pharr), and Nansi Guevara and Jesús Treviño (Brownsville).
“Onward AiR” will showcase ceramics, glass, paintings, drawings, experimental photography processes, printmaking, handmade paper, silkscreen, animation with original music, sculptural work and installation.

Strength in Weakness by Erika Ordonez
Daphne Art Foundation is currently accepting proposals for the AiR25 Cohort. Up-and-coming and emerging artists from Laredo are invited to apply. “Onward AiR” opens two weeks before the AiR25 application portal closes. Artists and creatives who are interested to learn more about the Cultivarte Laredo program can get first-hand experience advice from past AiR who will be present during the artists’ reception. Daphne welcomes proposals from visual, performing, and media artists who are 18 and older.

No Se Donde Vamos But Well Get There by Jesus Treviño
Founded in 2019, Daphne Art Foundation is a 501c(3) nonprofit arts organization that focuses on improving the quality of life through transformative cultural experiences with a mission is to advance the visual, performing, and media arts in the Laredo border region by providing residencies to artists and creatives, exhibiting and promoting artists, and cultivating arts appreciation and participation. Daphne Art Foundation’s vision is a vibrant Laredo in which the arts are central to our cultural and socioeconomic vitality.
“Onward AiR” will be on view at Casa Daphne from March 21-May 2. Admission to the gallery is free. Gallery hours are by appointment. To schedule a viewing call (956) 307-8984.
Contact Maritza Bautista, Executive Director of Daphne Art Foundation, for more information.