Biography.
Life-long Angeleno, Ginette Rondeau has led a rich, vivid and exciting life, from growing up in a historical monument to working as a professional curator and artist. She was fascinated by the intense creativity of Salvador Dali, Frida Kahlo and Remedios Varo and found herself drawn to surrealism. The realities of the world seemed harsh, since she grew up, living in the Sepulveda House on historic Olvera Street, with an altruistic view about life. She became curious and hungry to find a way to express the way she interpreted the world.
Ginette was a founding board member of the Downtown Arts Development Association (DADA), and curated “DADA 98!” (45,000 sq. ft.) highlighting over 300 Los Angeles artists, as well as, Olvera Street’s Día De Los Muertos art exhibits for 20 years. She also owns and operates the store her grandmother founded on Olvera Street and designs featured on many of her products.
Ginette’s art has been exhibited in numerous venues, including: The Museum of Latin American Art, CECUT Museum, Mexico in conjunction with the Museum of Mexico City with her installation of the Mailbox to Heaven, Las Laguna Gallery, Laguna Beach, El Camino College, Fremont Gallery in Pasadena, Redondo Beach’s “Power of Art,” Palos Verdes Art Center, The Museum of the San Fernando Valley, Self Help Graphics, El Pueblo Gallery on Olvera Street, ChimMaya Art Gallery and the Hollywood Forever Cemetery’s Mausoleum (featured artist). Her art and designs are on products, as well as, in books and calendars.
She studied under the guidance of Professor Brownlee, Papo De Asis, Luis Becerra, Cheryl Kline and Thomas Garner.
Professional Affiliations:
Currently, she is a member of the Arroyo Arts Collective, Los Angeles Center of Photography and a resident artist at the Hive Gallery.
Credits:
• Her artwork was featured in the Latino Heritage Month’s Calendar of Events by the Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department.
• A spokesperson for Día De Los Muertos and interviewed by National Geographic and is the creator of the “Mailbox to Heaven.”
• Her collaborative photography and an installation of the “Altar of the Iraq War” have been published and distributed nationally in an academic book for children by Capstone Press in “Day of the Dead - A Celebration of Life and Death,” 2006.
• Her artwork was featured in an article about her art in Casas y Mas magazine.
Ginette Rondeau is currently working on her oil painting series “Treasures of the Heart” dedicated to her mother who has recently passed into eternal life. It has been a heartbreaking experience; however, she has found peace since she has been able to express the depth of her love through her art.
After creating exhibitions and installations of Día De Los Muertos, she discovered many visitors began their healing through this wonderful tradition. During her exhibits, she was moved by many of the visitors who decided to embrace the tradition into their own lives. Therefore inspired, she is writing two books: "Mailbox to Heaven" and "Día De Los Muertos – A Celebration of Our Beloved."
In addition, she is currently creating a photographic series as she travels around the world called “The World Through My Eyes.”
