Olympic artist visits Blair

On Wednesday, Oct. 2, Jesse Raudales spoke to Blair students in the media center about his life experiences, triumphs, and challenges throughout his career as an artist. Raudales is an internationally renowned artist, and his paintings were selected to commemorate the 2006 U.S. Olympic Team, making him the first Latino artist to represent the United States through his artwork.

The event opened with a video introducing Raudales and how he incorporates his Latino heritage into his artwork. He spoke on the importance of recognition and harmful stereotypes for the Latino community. He said, “We're not just farmers, we're also executives, business people, and artists.” Following the video, Raudales described his journey from North Carolina to Los Angeles to pursue art, even after losing his scholarship due to budget cuts. “The one thing I didn't do was give up,” he said.

In addition to his achievements as an artist, Raudales has dedicated time toward community involvement. He shared how he led a six-week art class for Latino and Black youth this past summer, teaching sketching, watercolor, acrylics, and oils. The program concluded with an exhibit displaying the students' artwork for their families. “Hopefully, I'll do it again this summer,” Raudales said.

Raudales Artwork

Photo: Jesse Raudales with his original artwork during his visit to Blair.

Jesse Raudales with his original artwork during his visit to Blair. Photo courtesy of Sydney Humpert.

Afterwards, Raudales touched upon the increased use of AI-generated artwork, focusing on how it has led to concerns about authenticity in the art world. He discussed how many artists, including himself, are now trying to show the importance of the personal connection that comes with hand-made art, even opting to record themselves creating their pieces to show their originality and authenticity.

Raudales continued the discussion by sharing his inspiration for the work Peace for Children of the World, which was featured in the 2006 Olympics. He explained how it centered around his son. “The theme was peace at that time because we were at war. So I said, I’m at peace when I’m with my son,” he said. The artwork mirrored the global issues occurring at the time.

Raudales then reflected on the importance of connections throughout his career. He recalled how a friend, actor Miguel Núñez, mentioned his work during a dinner with influential people, including an attorney from the United States Olympic Committee. This led to Raudales being encouraged to submit his artwork. A few months later, he was selected as an Olympic artist, an opportunity he says he might have missed without that connection.

Looking ahead, Raudales revealed his plans to continue staying connected with the Olympics through a project that will be run in 2028, when the competition comes to Los Angeles. He explained his initiative, organized by the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, which aims to incorporate youth into a six-week program to build an exhibition during the 2028 Olympics. “I’m very honored and fortunate to continue to be associated with the Olympics,” Raudales said.