Claudia Salguero is a multi-disciplinary artist and Community Engaged artist. In addition to more than 40 murals across Ottawa – including one of the ArtWall murals in Parkdale Park in 2020 – Claudia worked with almost 100 volunteers from all backgrounds and all areas of the City to create ‘Canadian Pride, Harmony in Cultures’ as part of Canada’s 150^th Anniversary celebrations and ‘Transformation, the WOW Mural’ the tallest mural in the City for Welcoming Ottawa Week. In March 2021, the Ottawa Arts Council awarded Claudia the Peter Honeywell Mid-Career Artist Award.

Claudia Salguero is a proud MASC artist. MASC is Wellington West’s charity partner this ARTS Season. The Ottawa-based arts organization represents a roster of 138 professional artists of diverse backgrounds, who offer workshops, performances, and artist-in-residence programs in all artistic disciplines to schools and communities across Canada.

Click here to learn more about Claudia.

1. Tell us about some of the artistic work you’ve done in Wellington West:

Back in 2016, I created two eye-opening videos for OCISO about the perspectives of newcomer youth. In the videos they speak and recreate their stories using stop motion animation techniques.

In 2019, I was invited as a community engaged artist, to speak about gentrification at an event at The Ministry of Coffee and also as a panelist at the BIA Conference where the topic was ‘Engaging Community Through Art: Fresh Ideas for Collaborative Art Happenings.’

In 2020, I created the mural “Free” for the ArtWall project reminding ourselves we can fly free from judgement and fear from each other. 

2. What do you find inspiring about Wellington West?

The uniqueness, personality and diversity of the businesses and people walking around all year long.

3. What are some of your favourite spots to visit when you’re out and about in Hintonburg and Wellington Village?

Wow, hard question! Stella Luna, Taqueria La Bonita, Thyme & Again, Fritzi Gallery, GCTC, GIG Space, Happy Goat Coffee Company, Herb & Spice Food Shop, Hintonburg Pottery Shop, Loretta Studios and Gallery, Northern Art Glass, Ottawa Glass Blowing Co-op, The Table, The Soca Kitchen, to name a few 🙂

4. What projects do you have coming up? 

Besides the creation of “together apart” murals with kids from four different schools, I am working on the creation of the “The Wisdom Mural“, a six-storey tall mural dedicated to ancestral universal wisdom that will be installed on a highrise in Billings Bridge. I am hoping to be able to create the second mural of this series in Wellington West.