ABOUT.
MISSION STATEMENT
ART WITH A VOICE
Koleen's Canvas is a humanitarian arts nonprofit that stands for social justice reform. The mission is to create art that sheds light to the advancement of minority groups and communities of color. This platformed is designed to uplift voices in our society that long since have been silenced by injustice. On this platform, we shout BLACK LIVES MATTER. LISTEN TO WOMEN. LGBTQ+ RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS. THIS IS INDIGENOUS SOIL. IMMIGRANTS BELONG HERE. and CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL. No one is truly free until we ALL are. And until we dismantle this injustice, especially in the form of classism and White Supremacy, this statement rings true.
HANDMADE FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Resourcefulness and sustainability are two prime qualities you will find here. In a world where our planet is suffering from consumer culture, it is crucial for us consumers to opt for more eco-conscious practices and habits. Handmade products go through an extensive process, starting from mere recycled materials (cardboard, paper, plastic, and fabric) to polished, high quality, and sustainable art products.
SERVING LOCAL CAUSES
As a nonprofit, Koleen's Canvas partners with local organizations that fight for social justice reform and sustainability in their communities. A range from 75-85% of commission and special collection funds go towards specified organizations.
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Future goals include conducting education projects and workshops with local communities for youth audiences.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
My name is Koleen Matias (she/her). I am a Filipinx immigrant based in California. I have grown up immersed in the arts and have dedicated the past ten years to refining the voice that speaks through my own artwork. I believe that art is powerful, that it is an extension of my voice and moral values. I believe that it can speak volumes and reach people through a wavelength that is unspoken, yet intimate. This is why I make art.
I am an educator and social justice advocate. I have worked with Assemblymember Kevin McCarty to create art promoting immigration rights as well as water conservation for the American River. As an environmental advocate, I served as an ambassador of the One Voice Costa Rica project: a project that works to establish peace, tolerance, and unity on an international level. Through this project, I have advocated for environmental justice, working with Ecology Project International, as well as conducting ecology craft workshops for nearly 500 local students.
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Through the creation of Koleen's Canvas, I continue my service on a local scale as a nonprofit artist. As this nonprofit continues to grow, my only hopes for it is to serve as many local communities as possible and to help bring justice to the voices that are overshadowed by society.
