Gilroy – Gilroyan artist Joe Trevino recently donated a piece of
art entitled
”
Passionate Embrace
”
to the Child Welfare Protocol Program in Santa Clara County.
The program is designed to help reunite children in the foster
care system with their relatives in Mexico.
Gilroy – Gilroyan artist Joe Trevino recently donated a piece of art entitled “Passionate Embrace” to the Child Welfare Protocol Program in Santa Clara County.
The program is designed to help reunite children in the foster care system with their relatives in Mexico.
Rather than having to live with strangers, the program gives children of Mexican immigrants the opportunity to be raised by blood relatives, usually their grandparents. Taxpayers benefit as well, because the children are kept out of costly foster care.
“I was going to donate it already – the picture of the mother holding her two children… I thought it would be perfect … Say one or both of the parents get involved in accident, we can locate relatives in Mexico and notify them. This way the kids can be united with their families.
“I think it’s important to keep families together … when they’re lost in the system, they lose touch with their relatives and this way they still have hope and that closeness,” Trevino said, regarding the program. According to Mr. Trevino, the work donated may even be used as the program’s symbol.
Just glancing at Trevino’s work, one can see the emotional influence and compassion that developed and was incorporated into the piece. It pictures a mother embracing her children closely, cradling them in her arms.
For Joe, his art is more than just a hobby he happens to be good at, it’s a big part of his life. About four years ago, Joe was involved in an accident that severely damaged the bones and nerves in his back.
Since then, he’s had several long surgeries to help correct the damage done, but the experience is still something that affects him every day. However, Joe finds strength in his talent and passion for art. ” … especially now is the time that I need it the most, I can’t walk a lot because of the nerve damage – it just helps me get the through the day,” he said.
Joe’s family has also been a major source of strength and encouragement for him.
After watching his father drawing at home, Joe became motivated to become an artist himself. According to Joe, his uncle, Leslie Trevino, who builds beautiful, complicated bird houses, has also always been an inspiration to him and has always been ‘pushing (Joe) to continue doing (his) artwork’.
Joe Trevino’s artwork can be regularly seen at the Los Gatos ‘Tait’ Museum, located at 4 Tait Ave., Los Gatos. He is an artist member of the museum and they often display his works.
To find out when you can view Joe’s artwork call the museum at 354-2646.
