jessica Carmen
Community through Cultura.
Hartnell College
Associate in Arts, History
Associate in Arts, Psychology
CSU, Monterey Bay
Bachelor of Arts, Social & Behavioral Sciences
Grants, Awards and Appointments
NEXTies!
Visual Artist of the Year, 2025
Public Art Advisory Group
For Watsonville’s Public Arts Master Plan,
2024-2025
Office of Congressman Jimmy Panetta
Special Congressional Recognition, 2024
Tannery Arts Center
Public Art Grant, 2022
Arts Council Santa Cruz County
Create Grant, 2018
Development Grant, 2021
Education
contact
Phone: 831-831-359-9203
Email: thejamsbrand@gmail.com
Website: www.thejamsbrand.com/jessica-carmen
Instagram: www.instagram.com/y0yeska
artistic resume
Lenz Arts Rotating Mural Wall - Santa Cruz, CA
Curation of muralists that rotate every six months, Start 2025
“Harvest Moon” - Alisal High School, Salinas, CA
Designed, Painted and Installed background panels for play, 2025
La Ofrenda Festival - Gilroy, CA
Live Painter, 2025
“31 Skulls” - Local Color, San Jose, CA
Featured Artist, 2025
Scotts Valley Art, Wine & Beer Festival - Scotts Valley, CA
Live Painter, 2025
Event Santa Cruz, NEXTies Awards - Santa Cruz, CA
Visual Artist(s) of the Year Awardee, 2025
Santa Cruz Mountain Mushroom Festival - Felton, CA
Curator of Art Experience, 2025
Santa Cruz Pride - Santa Cruz, CA
Utility Box Artwork, 2025
San Jose Day - San Jose, CA
Live Painter & Featured Artist, 2025
#TheHipHopPopUp, Santa Cruz, CA
Live Painted Mural, 2025
Bizare Art Festival - Fresno, CA
Featured Muralist, 2025
Writer's Bench - San Jose, CA
Featured Muralist, 2025
Gilroy 3rd Friday Art Walks 2025, Gilroy, CA
Featured Live Painter, 2025
Paint Jam Vol. IV - Santa Cruz, CA
Curator & Live Painter, 2024
La Ofrenda Art & Wellness Festival - Gilroy, CA
Live Painter & Featured Artist, 2023
“31 Skulls” Local Color Fundraiser- San Jose, CA
Featured Artist, 2023
“Latin Heritage Month” Events, Bay Area, CA
Art Activations Curator for two events with Viva Creative, 2024
Box Shop Open Studios - San Francisco, CA
Invited Artist, Live Painter, 2024
3rd Annual Chalk Festival -Gilroy, CA
Live Painter with M.A.N.O.S. Gilroy, 2024
Urban Peace - San Jose, CA
Featured Muralist, 2024
“Music & Makers” Series at Creekside Socials in collaboration with Local Color SJ, San Jose, CA
Sugar Skull Making Workshop, 2024
“Midtown Fridays” hosted by Rootstock - Santa Cruz, CA
Live Painter, 2024
“Sweet Home Santa Cruz” hosted by Collective Santa Cruz - Santa Cruz, CA
Live Painter, 2024
“Sailor Sweets” Art Show - San Jose, CA
Featured Artist, 2024
420 @ Treehouse Dispensary - Santa Cruz, CA
Live Painter, 2024
“99 Bottles” Art Show @ noble workshop & gallery in collaboration with Local Color SJ- San Jose, CA
Featured artist for inaugural exhibition
“Color Me Rad” with Local Color SJ @ noble workshop & gallery - San Jose, CA
Artist Mentor for the Summer Mural Arts Cohort, 2024
Santa Clara County Fairgrounds Fair - San Jose, CA
Curator and Administrator, 2024
“Fruits of our Labor” Live Painter
“Color Me Rad” with Local Color SJ @ noble workshop & gallery - San Jose, CA
Artist Mentor for the Spring Mural Arts Cohort, 2024
“Music & Makers” Series at Creekside Socials in collaboration with Local Color SJ, San Jose, CA
Piñata Making Workshop, 2024
Elderday - Community Bridges - Watsonville, CA
Muralist, 2024
Coastal Watershed Council - Santa Cruz, CA
Artist in Residence, 2023-2024
Public Art: 6 Murals + 1 Youth Banner Project
Events: Earth Day + River Jam
Other: 1 Board Game + 15 Educational Art Book
“More than Cars” Art Show at Pajaro Valley Porter Gallery
Featured Artist, 2024
Bizare Art Festival - Fresno, CA
Featured Muralist, 2024
“The Old Skulls” Festival - Mexico City, Mexico
Featured International Muralist, 2023
Kix Con 2 - San Jose, CA
Community Painting & Kid’s Activity Pages, 2023
“31 Skulls” - Local Color, San Jose, CA
Featured Artist, 2023
2nd Annual Chalk Festival - Gilroy, CA
Live Painter & Chalk Art Judge with M.A.N.O.S. Gilroy, 2023
Viva Calle SJ - San Jose, CA
Live Painter with Together We Create 408, 2023
Lowrider Showcase, Montalvo Art Center, Saratoga, CA
Coloring Page Activity with Local Color, 2023
Napa Town and Country Fair - Napa, CA
Daily Live Painter during 4-day event, 2023
Santa Clara County Fairgrounds- San Jose, CA
“Best in Show” Mural, 2023
“Blessed” Live Painting
“Tortillas Hechas a Mano” - San Juan B., CA
Private Commissioned Mural, 2023
Vaccination Campaign, SCC Public Health, San Jose, CA
Piñata Making Activity with Local Color, 2023
SubZero Festival - San Jose, CA
Featured Artist, 2023
Paint Jam, Vol. III - Santa Cruz, CA
Curator & Live Painter, 2023
"Storefronts" - San Jose, CA
Private Commissioned Mural for Morgan Autism Center, 2023
San Jose Day - San Jose, CA
Live Painter & Featured Artist, 2023
Bizare Art Festival - Fresno, CA
Curator, 10th Anniversary Zine
Featured Muralist, 2023
Liminal Space Events - Santa Cruz, CA
Curator & Muralist, 2022-2023
Going All City PHX - Phoenix, AZ
Featured Muralist, 2022
Rock the Spot AZ - Tucson, AZ
Featured Muralist, 2022
Sessions with Old Pal - Santa Cruz, CA
Live Painter & Event Staff, 2022
2Buck Invitational - Louisville, KY
Featured Muralist, 2022
Paint Jam, Vol. I & Vol. II - Santa Cruz, CA
Curator & Live Painter, 2022
"Mujeres Valley" - Fence Lake, NM
Private Commissioned Mural, 2022
Wahinepalooza - Sand City, CA
Live Painter, 2022
The Walls Arts Park - Waverly, TN
Featured Muralist, 2022
"Past, Present, Future" - San Jose, CA
School Commissioned Mural, 2022
California Roots Festival - Monterey, CA
Live Painter & Featured Artist, 2022
Bizare Art Festival - Fresno, CA
Featured Muralist,2022
Museum Art & History - Santa Cruz, CA
Featured Artist for Día De Los Muertos Chalk Circles, 2021
"Covenant House" - San Jose, CA
Private Commissioned Mural, 2021
Silicon Valley Pride - San Jose, CA
Live Painter, 2021
"Floral Goodness" - Santa Cruz, CA
Private Commissioned Mural, 2021
"Head in the Clouds" - San Juan Bautista, CA
Private Commissioned Mural, 2021
Treehouse Dispensary - Soquel, CA
First Friday Artist, April -May, 2021
Other Brother Beer - Seaside, CA
Curators & Featured Artists for First Fridays January-March 2021
we. Mural Festival - Sand City, CA
Featured Muralist, August 2020
Other Brother Beer - Seaside, CA
Curator & Featured Artists for Block Parties June-July 2020
El Teatro Campesino - San Juan Bautista, CA
Featured Artist, "Palabra," 2018-2020
Arte Del Corazon - Watsonville, CA
Mercados Artesenales Curator, 2019-2020
MAH Art Markets - Santa Cruz, CA
Latinx & Community Art Markets, 2019
Community Paint Day - Watsonville, CA
Featured Muralist, 2018
Selena Tribute Festival - Salinas, CA
Curator & Featured Artist, 2018
Alisal Center for the Fine Arts - Salinas, CA
Featured Artist, Various Shows, 2016-2018
Arts Educator, 2016-2018
California native, Jessica Carmen, honors her Chicana roots and the feminine experience via vibrant works of art. Her inspiration is often drawn from the folklore, artisanal crafts, iconography and flavor of the culture that allowed her to unapologetically bold and find strength in her femininity. As a self-taught artist, Jessica Carmen is eager to build community through culturally relevant public arts, workshops and conversations.

