Artist Reception for Brenda Mercado

Discover the vibrant and emotive works of local artist Brenda Mercado in her stunning new exhibit here at CIMM. Join us for a special artist reception, where you can meet Brenda, explore her artistic inspirations & enjoy light refreshments surrounded by her beautiful creations.

At once sacred and intimate, Brenda’s work captures the natural world in the ancient ways of mystery and magic. Her portraits (and self-portraits) rely on known objects and symbols to create a new realm, a subtle interpretation.

True to her Chumash heritage, she retrieves the world for us: the world we walked past at street level, the world we drove right by on our way somewhere in our human-scale automobiles, the insurmountable evidence we ignored. As a visual artist, she fulfills several roles at once: shaman, village elder, Tomol Paddler, poet and seer, to remind us what we have forgotten.

Come meet Brenda at her reception on September 20th or enjoy her beautiful show, on display at CIMM September 11 - November 17, 2025!