San Mateo – When Aaron Alvarez Mendoza picked up a camera in the early 2000s, many serious photographers had already switched to digital and the freedom that comes with memory cards and the ability to edit images quickly and easily.
But Mendoza had little money for then-pricey digital cameras. So he bought a Minolta SRT SC for $75 at a flea market and spent countless hours developing film in an old darkroom at the Riekes Center in Menlo Park.
He now shoots digital but the nuances he learned about light, shadows, focal points and the need to make each shot count (film came in rolls of 24 or 36 exposures) have paid off.
On Saturday, Sept. 28, Mendoza’s work will be on display at the September Arts & Culture Fest, presented by the County’s Office of Arts & Culture and the San Mateo Area Chamber of Commerce. The free event showcases work by local photographers, artists, musicians, cultural performers and more.
“I’m a little bit nervous. I’m not going to lie, just because of all it entails,” the 36-year-old Moss Beach resident said. His work has been featured at galleries and on magazine covers but never at a street festival. “I feel more vulnerable in that regard,” he said.
Saturday’s event takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on B Street between 1st and 3rd avenues.
“We’re completely focused on promoting local artists and performers,” said Aimee Shapiro, the office’s executive director.
“There is tremendous diversity in art, photography, performing arts and much more across San Mateo County,” Shapiro said. “We want to help promote those artists by bringing them closer to the community and offer opportunities for them to showcase their talents.”
“The September Arts & Culture Fest is all about creating experiences that make people want to shop, dine and spend time in our wonderful downtown. We are thrilled to be partnering with the San Mateo County Office of Arts & Culture this year and collaborating with the City of San Mateo and Downtown San Mateo Association,” said Erica Wood, president & CEO of the San Mateo Area Chamber of Commerce
Mendoza came to the United States as a young teenager from Mexico, settling in Redwood City and attending Summit Prep. He found a second home at the Riekes Center, a Menlo Park nonprofit that offers classes in art and photography as well as fitness and more. He has found further inspiration at Art Bias, a San Carlos nonprofit that works with emerging and established local artists.
Since his early days with the Minolta, Mendoza has been driven to capture fresh perspectives on familiar landscapes.
This may involve waiting for the right combination of light and clouds to illuminate a graffiti-covered, World War II-era lookout along Devil’s Slide, as in one of the photos in his collection.
In the old darkroom that smells like a chemistry classroom, Mendoza points to the worn Minolta that started it all. “It was so magical to me, just seeing the process of using chemistry to have a print,” he said.
Asked to elaborate, he paused, deciding he could do no better. “I guess the best word will be magical.”
About the September Arts and Culture Fest:
- Musicians performing Taiko Drums, acoustic, soul, jazz, rap and chamber music
- Poets in free verse, narrative and spoken word styles
- Dancers in the traditions of ballet, hula, Bollywood, folklorico, hip-hop and Hungarian folk dance
- Actors in theater productions
The Office of Arts & Culture provides a list of exhibitors and artists.
Aimee Shapiro
Executive Director
San Mateo County Office of Arts and Culture
ashapiro@smcgov.org