The 20 students selected for 2018 Downtown Doors exhibition shared personal insights and emotions to create artworks with themes ranging from the portrayal of strong women to the comical, all the while splashing vibrant colors and utilizing an abundance of techniques and styles on downtown San Jose’s urban landscape.

These compelling pieces of art will add aesthetic relief to San Jose’s core by being attached to downtown service doors and utility boxes located mostly on key thoroughfares.  The artworks also offer food for thought to thousands of pedestrians.

The winners of the annual competition — now in its 13th year — were among 170 submissions from students at 20 different San Jose-area high schools.  Downtown Doors are produced by the San Jose Downtown Foundation at 110 sites in the city’s core stretching from SoFA to north of San Pedro Square.  Using the same application seen on some light rail trains and buses, their pieces are enlarged, transferred onto vinyl decals and affixed to single- and double-panel service doors of large buildings, and a number of utility boxes throughout downtown San Jose.

Since the program began in 2003, 272 student works have been selected.

“Success is often measured by the amount of wealth, however, true success is measured in how we make the world a better place,” said Diana Beechie, past president of the San Jose Downtown Foundation.  “Our students have achieved great success by creating a more beautiful vibrant downtown.”

One central theme in this year’s collection of selected pieces celebrates women such as “Who We Are Is Who We Were” by Joann Nguyen (Piedmont Hills), “Cyber Story” by Elizabeth Thach (Evergreen Valley) an untitled work by Alexa Hernandez (San Jose HS) and “My Mother” by Keleila Taylor (Del Mar).  

Other works focus on nature and environmental awareness, such as the odd “rabbitsparrow” by Jennifer Deng (Pioneer), “Exploration of Impossibility” by Sunny Liu (Westmont), “Lured” by Lauryn Sugai (Leigh), “Belly Up” by Serendipity Tinsley (Del Mar), “Red-Shanked Duoc Monkey” by Ana-Gabriela Cadenas (Lincoln), “Tropical Toucan” by Romelia Zarate (Lincoln), Jakoby Leonard’s (Andrew P. Hill)  “An Avian Stare,” and “Summer Days” by Alan Camolinga (Leigh).

Techniques and styles ranged from watercolors to acrylics and abstracts to digital mosaics. Downtown Doors highlights include Emily Won’s (Leigh) “The Boy and His Umbrella” watercolor, Sam Rios’ (Andrew P. Hill) digitally produced “We Tread on,” “Abstract Still Life” by Cloe Smith (Del Mar), “Love at First Bite” by Hannah Cho (Santa Teresa), untitled work by Michelle Luu (Independence), Dillon Mulvany’s (Willow Glen) modern nighttime streetscape “Into the City” and “ARCANDYA” by Identically named friends Michelle Pham (Yerba Buena).

Downtown Doors has proven to be a stepping stone toward better grades, graduation, college and a leadership position in society.  Students often claim that the Downtown Doors competition confirms their talent as artists.  Every person selected shows excitement at being included on the prestigious list of Downtown Doors winners.

A private reception honoring the artists and their works will take place May 10 at the San Jose Museum of Art.

Program sponsors include: Catered Too!, City of San Jose Office of Cultural Affairs, Cornish, Carey, Newmark & Knight, Kimley Horn, KQED, Offices of Councilmembers Dev Davis , Chappie Jones, Johnny Khamis, and Don Rocha, Orchard Commercial, Pestana Properties, Republic Services, Silicon Valley Community Foundation – Donor Circle for the Arts, and SV Creates.  In-Kind contributions by Adobe, Catered Too!, Juan Borrelli, Mangold Designs, San Jose Museum of Art and University Art.

2018 site hosts include: Imwalle Properties (former Camera 12 Cinemas), Fairmont Hotel, Westin San Jose, City of San Jose, The 88, Digital Realty, Harvest Properties at 60 S. Market St. and Hammer Theatre Center,

 

The students’ work will be viewable for several years before being replaced.

 East Side Union HS District

(19) Piedmont Hills – 09, 09, 09, 10, 11, 11, 11, 12, 12, 12, 13, 13, 14, 14, 15, 15, 17, 18, 18

(17) Santa Teresa – 06, 09, 11, 11, 12, 12, 14, 14, 14, 15, 15, 15, 16, 17, 17, 17, 18

(15) Evergreen Valley – 09, 09, 09, 09, 10, 11, 12, 12, 13, 13, 15, 15, 15, 16, 16, 18

(11) Andrew P Hill – 12, 12, 13, 13, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 18

(9) Independence – 12, 13, 14, 15, 15, 16, 17, 17, 18

(9) Mount Pleasant –  04, 05, 10, 10, 11, 11, 12, 16, 17

(8) Yerba Buena – 10, 14, 14, 15, 16, 17, 17, 18

(3) James Lick – 11, 12, 16

(3) Oak Grove – 07, 07, 07

(2) Silver Creek – 12, 13

(97) East Side SubTotal

 

(50) Lincoln (includes Saturday Art Academy) – 03, 03, 03, 03, 04, 04, 04, 04, 04, 05, 05, 05, 05, 05, 05, 05, 05, 06, 06, 06, 06, 06, 06, 06, 06, 06, 06, 06, 07, 07, 07, 07, 07, 07, 09, 09, 09, 09, 09, 09, 09, 10, 10, 12, 12, 13, 14, 14, 18, 18

(32) Notre Dame – 06, 07, 07, 07, 07, 07, 07, 09, 09, 09, 09, 09, 09, 09, 09, 10, 11, 11, 11, 12, 12, 12, 13, 13, 13, 13, 15, 15, 15, 16, 16, 17

(13) Leigh – 09, 11, 12, 13, 15, 15, 16, 17, 17, 17, 18, 18, 18

(12) Homestead – 12, 12, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 14, 16, 17, 17

(12) Pioneer –12, 12, 12, 12, 13, 13, 13, 14, 14, 17, 17, 18

(9) Gunderson – 14, 14, 14, 14, 15, 15, 16, 16, 16

(9) Willow Glen – 12, 14, 14, 15, 15, 16, 16, 16, 18

(8) Del Mar – 12, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 18, 18

(6) Cupertino – 10, 10, 10, 11, 11, 11

(5) San Jose High Academy – 04, 05, 05, 05, 05

(3) Downtown College Prep – 04, 07, 07

(3) San Jose High – 16, 17, 18

(2) Bellarmine College Prep. – 10, 17

(1) Leland – 16

(1)   Westmont – 18

(1) Castillero Middle – 12

(167) All other districts Subtotal

 

(2) Okayama, Japan – 14, 16

(2) Pune, India – 14, 16

(2) Tainan, Taiwan – 14, 16

(1) Dublin, Ireland – 14

(1) San Jose, Costa Rica – 14

(8) International Subtotal

 

(272) TOTAL