Project Description

Veterans, their families, and the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center (West LA VA) community are honored in Colors of Courage, temporary art banners for the Metro D Line station construction site at the West LA VA. 

Artist Stephanie Mercado led a series of printmaking and collage workshops with residents and community members at Veteran service provider organizations located at the West LA VA, including New Directions for Veterans, Veterans Home of California—West Los Angeles (CalVet), and the Bandini Foundation Heroes Golf Course. Workshop participants were guided through printmaking techniques, and encouraged to bring photographs of themselves, their families and other objects of importance  to add to their projects. Contributions from these workshops are included in the final banner artwork designs, offering a glimpse into the stories and experiences of the participants.

Artist Statement

“These banners are meant to honor and uplift the people who have been called to service, their families, and the VA staff who provide care and support for the wounded, the person struggling to transition back into civilian life, and their family members.“

About the Artist

STEPHANIE MERCADO  (Los Angeles, California) Stephanie Mercado is an interdisciplinary artist, arts administrator and teaching artist from the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles. Focused on the workforce, manual labor, and empowerment, her work pays homage to the dignity and contributions of others. Mercado uses traditional printmaking techniques to highlight the intimate link between laborers and their craft, emphasizing the transformative power of work. Mercado received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from California State University Long Beach. She has exhibited internationally, including exhibitions in Norway and Cuba. Her work is included in the permanent collections of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Tamarind Institute of Lithography, New Mexico, and the Mexic-Arte Museum in Austin, Texas.