We view art as a catalyst for community-led conversations
Eastridge Center is dedicated to fostering community collaborations and partnerships. We pride ourselves as a destination that offers unique experiences in retail, entertainment, art, culture, wellness and dining. At the heart of our center is community engagement. In 2017, Eastridge Center underwent a massive redevelopment. Pacific Retail Capital Partners decided to bring culture and commerce together with Eastridge Murals. We view art as a catalyst for community-led conversations that shape visions for how a new, shared retail experience can come to life. By providing artist opportunities through commissions and working with a diverse group of residents, curators and creatives in all of our programming, we aim to perfect the art of creating an elevated experience to remember.
Aaron De La Cruz Mural
Heart of Silicon Valley
Brendan Monroe Mural
The Cyrcle Mural
Greetings from Eastridge
SUPPORT LOCAL ARTISTS AND ENTER TO WIN!
Snap a photo of any center art project and tag us on social media with the hashtag #EastridgeArt. Every month, we giveaway a $50 gift card to one follower AND to the artists in your photo! Official rules here.
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Aaron De La Cruz Mural
The Aaron De La Cruz mural is one of the four original murals that comprise the world’s largest collection of outdoor murals on a shopping center, and the only public art project of its kind. Aaron De La Cruz noted that, until adulthood, he had never stepped into an art gallery. Murals and graffiti are often the only art that people are exposed to, which is part of what makes this project so special.
About the Artist
Aaron De La Cruz’s work, though minimal and direct at first, tends to overcome barriers of separation and freely steps in and out of the realms of fine art and design. The act and the marks themselves are very primal but tend to take on distinct and sometimes higher meanings in the broad range of mediums and contexts they appear in and on. His work finds strengths in the reduction of his interests in life to minimal information. De La Cruz gains from the idea of exclusion, just because you don’t literally see it, doesn’t mean that it’s not there.
Heart of Silicon Valley
Lila Gemellos’ “Heart of Silicon Valley” mural is one of the four original murals that comprise the world’s largest collection of outdoor murals on a shopping center, and the only public art project of its kind. As a San Jose Native, Lila wanted her mural to honor both high-tech and agriculture. Tech is the modern-day driving force of our local economy and agriculture is the industry that initially attracted people to settle in this area.
About the Artist
Practically born with a paintbrush in hand, artist Lila Gemellos, 36, was born, raised and trained in San Jose, California – the heart of Silicon Valley. After several years in commercial real estate and construction, Gemellos started her own business over 10 years ago in the Arts. First drawing on skateboarding shoes, Lila became brave enough to tell potential clients what she really wanted to do was paint murals.With over 25 years of technical oil painting training, today Gemellos employs different styles confidently.She distinguishes herself through her strong use of color as well as through visual storytelling, creative placemaking and as a local business force and arts advocate.Gemellos brings her strong San Jose roots to her artistic narratives through “sense of place” murals; though she just emerged onto the national art stage through sense of place projects inspired by history.Her work translates to social media and generates new traffic organically through selfies and interaction.Lila Gemellos has an especial expertise in retail, new construction and placemaking.