22 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY november 14-20, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com ing cannot contain all of its activities, starting with artists’ visits at schools to teach, including Chapa. One of the most important annual events is Día de los Muertos, when fun spills downtown, starting with a parade that leads to the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds. From dozens and dozens of stalls, one can buy fresh roasted chickpeas and churros. Children are everywhere, but also solemn men in cowboy hats, old and young, standing in groups. The women are on stage running the Katrina show and contest. “People don’t realize the amount of talent in this part of the county,” says Jude Yriarte, Sol Treasures’ grant manager. Hinderscheid wants to combat the effect of technology on kids. He believes that art builds confidence, forces face-to-face interaction and builds communication skills. He also knows that technology is not going anywhere and that’s why Sol Treasures this year launched a podcast titled Offline Expression: The Teen Revolution. The show is hosted by Hinderscheid, who interviews local officials and advises teens on how to use their phones—one need not be an artist to listen to and appreciate it. “Arts have to be accessible in Spanish-speaking agricultural communities, [which are] so marginalized,” he says. For Sol Treasures, that includes small, rural communities like Bradley and San Lucas in South County. Students exposed to arts perform better academically and, Hinderscheid argues, they become better humans with a better future. An arts action fund, American for the Arts, claims that students who take four years of arts and music classes while in high school score about 100 points better on their SATs. But King City is all about sports and agriculture, leaving Sol Treasures a cultural gap to fill. King City’s City Manager Steve Adams says Sol Treasures is a key partner that works closely with the city’s public art program. “They are critical,” Adams says, referring first and foremost to the presence of Sol Treasures in schools. But “politically, even those who love the arts don’t have the time or ability to help financially,” Hinderscheid says. “The Arts Council is in bad shape now.” That’s because the state budget cut $5 million compared to 2023, making the local nonprofit’s grantmaking budget this year $19 million. That kind of budget cycle leaves organizations hustling for funds, in addition to sharing a love of art. Hijos Del Sol’s slogan is “Arts for Youth,” but the organization serves more than youth—community involvement is important. As the door opens from the outside, 20-year-old Pepe Nolasco raises his smile from above a little boy’s project. They both have deliciously dirty hands. Nolasco has dark hair, glasses and is wearing a warm sweater. He moved from the coast of Mexico to Salinas when he was a child. Soon, he walked into Hijos Del Sol and was intrigued because he liked drawing cartoons. “There is better access to art tools in the U.S.,” he says, giving an example of why it’s better to be a young artist in America than in Mexico. He is an Hijos Del Sol alumnus and a current employee, and often the one who goes to local schools to give drawing classes. “We are artists, not just teachers,” says Ortiz, the Hijos Del Sol founder. “Arts have been misunderstood for many years. It is as important as sports. We also need a field to play.” Ortiz is concerned about arts, or a lack thereof, in schools. Where is the theater? he asks. Where are the spaces where one can get messy with ink and paint, or get loud while playing an electric guitar? For all of those things, children, teens and adults can come to Hijos Del Sol. They also come to practice basic drawing, paint on glass, pretty much to Clockwise from top, at Palenke Arts in Seaside: Young jazz musicians in the jazz combo, including a pianist; Daniel Gutierrez paints during a visual arts class; instructor Paul Richmond at work on his own piece while teaching young artists. Daniel Dreifuss Daniel Dreifuss Daniel Dreifuss Daniel Dreifuss
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