“Its unbelievable how much joy my art has brought me, as my husband always says, "the best is yet to come." And that’s what keeps me pushing!”
O.G. Lady Key
2023's Featured Artist
Maria Key is a first generation Chicana artist. Born and raised in East Los Angeles, and better known in the art community as "O.G. Lady Key”. She is the SFS Art Fest recipient of the 2022 City of Santa Fe Springs’ Grand Jury Master Artist Award.
Her love for art, at an early age, motivated O.G. Lady Key to become a self-taught artist. O.G. Lady Key's art was inspired by her husband's love and drive for boxing. Supporting her husband's boxing journey and embracing her Chicana roots has brought O.G. Lady Key to create beautiful portraits - adding her own special touch of color vibrancy and arrangement to every piece, capturing the most emotional moments that one can relate to.
Through her artwork, O.G. Lady Key is devoted to raising awareness about the impact art has, enhancing the well-being of individuals, society connecting as a whole, and the environment. O.G. Lady Key knows that art and artists have the power to heal, inspire, provoke, challenge, and offer hope.
California-born, South Central LA based native, Carlos Gallardo, a.k.a. DJ Prolifix, is a first generation Mexican American world renowned “turntablist”. DJ Prolifix found the DJ Art as an escape from the street life as a kid. His love of music focused on creating something new by manipulating sounds on records.
DJ Prolifix has taught and showcased the art of scratching at several Southern California DJ Schools, most notably The Beat Junkies Institute of Sound in Glendale, California. He has judged multiple international and domestic scratch competitions. Carlos loves to inspire new generations of DJs by putting together "Scratch sessions" where the public gets to try this art form in a non-judgmental and supporting environment. DJ Prolifix has performed alongside legendary DJs such as Dj Qbert, D-Styles, and The Beat Junkies, ZTrip.
Carlos continues to educate the public on the history of the DJ and how the art has progressed in the past decades. He has 6 to 8 turntables and mixers so the public can experience this art form and exhibits new technology incorporated in this platform of sound. He usually involves several DJ performers to partake in a plethora of DJ techniques.
Carlos Gallardo
Guest Artist
Dayquan Moeller is a Long Beach based composer, playwright, poet, field recordist, and performance artist. His performances range from roaming his neighborhood with a cardboard box over his head, to trying to convince open mic attendees to purchase drinks from an “Invisible Lemonade Stand.” His collaborative works include composing music for three short plays, two short films, and publications in Molecule – a tiny lit mag and The Greenleaf Review. He is also co-editor in chief for the art and literature magazine, 562 Medium.
Dayquan often jokes that he is an "artist in anthropologist drag," because his creative process is so research-based.
“Now, "In Our Glory," will serve as my senior project at Whittier College. It is the culmination of four years of my studies, and eight-years of experience with my research-based craft.” Dayquan made the decision to focus on the experiences of immigrant and international students with this piece because he wants to celebrate the melting-pot that is Whittier. In an era where xenophobia and people’s fear of "the Other" is rising, Dayquan believes that this is more important than ever.
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