Nora Chapa Mendoza

Nora Chapa Mendoza has been a part of River’s Edge Gallery since it’s inception 40 + years ago. A painter, educator, activist, and a long-time presence in the Detroit arts community. Mendoza journeyed from her home state of Texas to Michigan to pursue her career as an artist. To Southwest Detroit, she brought American Southwestern roots, indestructible Chicano-Indigenous pride and unwavering commitment to the causes near to her heart: civil rights, fair labor practices, and heritage.

She studied art at the College for Creative Studies (formerly Center for Creative Studies) and Madonna University (Livonia) under the mentorship of Richard Kozlow and Ljubo Biro. In 1978, Mendoza formed Nuestras Artes de Michigan, a network of Latino artists and organizations focused on promoting Latino arts, unity and advancing the values of freedom, accessibility, and integrity. She was also a founding member of the Michigan Hispanic Cultural Art Association. Mendoza opened her own gallery in Detroit in 1981, Galleria Mendoza. As her practice evolved to include restoration and mural projects, she was one of eight artists invited to renovate the Detroit Music Hall.
 

Her paintings—which range from abstraction to realism—reflect back the pain of injustice, the healing of human resolve, and the beauty of nature. That pain and resolve is felt in her work “Ten Little Indians,” a title borrowed from a nursery rhyme about the genocide of Native People. “The central skull represents the attempted extermination of Native People. Yet the spirit as expressed through the flames remains central and vibrant,” says Mendoza. “The eagle is my personal symbol in the Maya Calendar and four always appear at the end of any spiritual ceremony in which I participate. Despite the centuries of elimination, the Native Peoples are still here, their spirit strong and their influence being felt.”

Mendoza says her need to paint is a longing that she has felt since holding her first paintbrush. Like her need to eat, her art sustains her. The rich earth tones of her landscapes, ethereal palettes of her abstractions and the complexity of textures and stories that make up her mixed media work create a feast for all who engage. 

Nora Chapa is the 2024 Kresge Eminent artist