Take a careful look around and the work of Roberto Pozos has been in front of many of us for a long time. That logo for Centro Cultural de la Raza in Balboa Park? That’s his. Previous logos for Casa Familiar, the North County Latinas Association, or paintings at solo art exhibitions and murals? Those were his, too. What can always be seen in his work is the importance of his Chicano culture and community.
“My earliest memories of when art entered the picture was drawing at home with my brother, Cipriano, who was also an artist. Cipriano ed away last year; we were very close and shared our love of art,” he said. “I vividly recall carrying paper and pencil everywhere I went, I drew anything, from insects to friends. I really didn’t know that I was any different because I believed everyone was drawing all the time.”
He started working, getting paid for his art, while he was still in school and always knew he wanted to be an artist. He had teachers who noticed his talent in school, leading to awards and more jobs, a college education, and eventually building his Pozos Creative Communications graphic design business, alongside his work as a visual artist. He’s been recognized for his work in his community and as an artist; is included in Maria E. Garcia’s “We Made San Diego,” a book celebrating the local Latino community; holds a black belt in jiujitsu; surfs; illustrated the book “Border Crossings” by Juan Medina; and continues to exhibit his work and take commissions.
Pozos, 62, lives in Paradise Hills and has a daughter and two grandchildren. He took some time to talk about his art, his heritage, and how his mother’s work ethic, love, and belief in him pushed him to make her proud. (This interview has been edited for length and clarity. For a longer version of this interview, visit sandiegouniontribune.com/author/lisa-deaderick/.)
Q: What role did visual art play in your life in your earlier years?
A: Visual art played a major role I my life, especially in my early years. In elementary school, I was always being asked to do the art that would go on the wall for different holidays. I would draw my teachers and would get a kick out of it. At home, I continued drawing, as my mom had purchased me a drawing table with her grocery store points when I was probably 10 years old (at the time, stores would allow customers to acquire points each time a store item was purchased, and certain numbers of points could be redeemed for prizes).
In high school, I would draw a large mascot bulldog for the football games, so the football players could tear it up (when they ran onto the field). My artwork was also all over the library walls and the art classroom. I was also getting into trouble, and art was always there for me because the staff at school respected me as an artist. My high school teacher, Mrs. Madonna, really believed in me. She encouraged me tremendously and for three consecutive years, I received an art award at Calexico High School, where it was announced at crowded rallies and I was pulled from the bleachers, surprised to be acknowledged that way. She was also instrumental in me being accepted to the ArtCenter (College of Design in Pasadena), but I was unable to attend because I couldn’t afford it or leave my mom alone. It was discouraging and at that point, I felt I was just an artist in my hometown and I was going to use my skills there. I felt like I was already an artist and going to college was unnecessary since I was partially doing what I wanted to do, but I did not know better. My life did transform incredibly after getting an education and I always encourage others to continue their education, even when they think their skills are good enough.
Fate intervened and my high school counselor encouraged me to attend Imperial Valley College on a dare and I loved college. My art was all over the campus-I had paintings in the counseling center, illustration work inside the newspaper, and in MEChA I was using my graphics skills. I received my associate’s degree in art and became active in the Chicano community, as well. I was the publicity officer in my MEChA chapter; I was the illustrator at the college newspaper, The Mirror; and I did jobs for my teachers and was hired by several of them to work with them.
Q: How would you describe your mother, in of what kind of person she was and the influence she had on you?
A: I call my mother my No. 1 fan, always. Like many, she only attended a few years of school. I was born in Mexico, in Tepatitlan de Morelos, Jalisco. My mother was a U.S. citizen, born in Brawley, Calif. When she and my dad split up, she returned to her Imperial Valley roots and we became a farm working family. I saw her work very hard to take care of all of us. I am the youngest of four brothers and one sister. We went from farm working labor camps to different camps, following the crops in California for work. There were many families like ours. I recall her being very happy when Cesar Chavez fought to remove the short hoe (the “cortito”), for the long hoe, as she said it was a great change for workers. I knew he had impacted our family directly and many others, and I became a er of Cesar Chavez and his values. I would see my mom struggle, work hard, deal with the family, and she was an example to our family and somebody who always fought for her family. She even brought her sister, Elena, from Mexico to raise her family here because she was also born in Brawley. Our whole family has benefited from my mother’s efforts for a better life. At a very young age, I knew that I wanted my mom to be happy and she believed in me. She used to ask me to sign my report card on her behalf and I that my report card in the second grade said that I needed to work on my math, but that my art skills were really good.
