Vanesa O'Hanlon
A first generation Chicana from the Bay Area with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from SJSU. Currently lives and works as an independent visual artist in Chinatown, San Francisco. Her work is driven by an appreciation of cultures and the diverse individual lives enriching the community. Her practice is called ‘mestizaje’ an exploration in semiotics to bring awareness to our belief systems, traditions, and mixed identities. Vanesa is focused on public projects that support local arts, such as ‘Chinatown Lights,’ a first-of-its-kind large-scale projection mapping event staged in February of 2022. For the past year, she has curated a weekly open studio for local artist collaborations. She currently works as Founder + Creative Director at Chi Lounge, a popup concept to revitalize unused spaces. With a deep-rooted need to give back to marginalized communities, she intends to bring all her resources to bear in creating innovative fine art that celebrates our cultures and liberates our communities.
