Artist Biography
Willow Vergara is a Los Angeles-based artist whose work explores the neocultural intersections of her Filipino and Ghanaian heritage. Raised within multiple cultural frameworks, Vergara often experienced the tension of navigating two distinct backgrounds. Rather than seeing this as a limitation, she now embraces it as a generative space for inquiry; one that informs her art and invites dialogue about identity, hybridity, and belonging.
With a foundation in dance and movement, Vergara approaches performance as a language. One that communicates presence, embodiment, and cultural memory. This movement-based awareness informs her sculptural work, where the physicality of making becomes a reflection of identity in motion. Through ceramics and performance, she explores themes of cultural layering, memory, and displacement, offering a nuanced reflection of diasporic life. Her practice challenges fixed narratives and highlights the fluidity and resilience of emerging, intersecting cultural identities.
Currently pursuing her education at Santa Monica College, Vergara is actively developing her voice as both an artist and cultural activist. She has held internships at the Jean Paul Getty Center and the Santa Monica College ceramics studio, and she has presented at the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity (NCORE) about her time working with Matika Wilbur—experiences that have deepened her commitment to community-based art and education. Her work continues to evolve from both the personal and political messages she feels a responsibility to carry forward.
Education
Santa Monica College (2026)
Art History | Full time student
The School of The Art Institute Chicago (2027)
Studio Art | Ceramics
Internships
Getty Docent Internship
Santa Monica College Ceramics Internship
Aphroditrist is a term created to reflect the dualities within my neocuoltural Ghanian-Filipina identity. “Afro,” phonetically embedded within the title, points to my Ghanaian heritage and the centrality of hair in Black identity, memory, and resistance. The “pH” gestures toward the Philippines, a nation whose very name—derived from King Philip II—speaks to its colonized history and the cultural systems left in its wake.
Curriculum Vitae Summary
EDUCATION
School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) — Chicago, IL
BFA, Studio Art — Ceramics
Expected December 2027
Santa Monica College — Santa Monica, CA
AA, Fine Arts / Art History
2026
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
Black History Month Retrospective — Siragusa Gallery, Chicago, IL
Curated by SAIC students | 2026
Black Clay — ARTE NOIR + Pottery Northwest, Seattle, WA
2025–2026
Mueble: Totale — Gallery 945, Los Angeles, CA
Curated by Carlos Palmieri | 2025
Open House: Auction — Ohana Center, Palmdale, CA
Curated by Aziza Shepherd | 2025
Woven — Safe Space Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Curated by Toni Walker | 2025
Here/Now — Santa Monica College Barrett Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
Curated by Emily Silver and Carlson Hatton | 2025
A Woman Who Still Plays in the Mud
Live sculpture / performance, 2025
Three-hour live sculpture performance presented at Here/Now, Santa Monica College Barrett Gallery.
LatinX/FilipinX — UCLA Kerckhoff Gallery, Westwood, CA
EXHIBITION & CURATORIAL EXPERIENCE
Santa Monica College Barrett Gallery — Santa Monica, CA
Curatorial Assistant | 06/2023–06/2025
Collaborated with faculty to curate and install exhibitions featuring emerging and established artists, including Project 562, Never Too Late, Ideas Without Edges, and Converge Vertex.
Designed and built exhibition environments, including wall construction, artwork selection, and spatial layout.
Conducted artist interviews and developed portfolios for featured artists.
Coordinated with artists to meet deadlines for exhibition setup and teardown, ensuring successful presentations.
Converge + Vertex Exhibition — Santa Monica, CA
2024–2025
Contributed to the curation of an exhibition centered on Black identity, unity, progress, historical memory, and cultural resilience.
Coordinated communications and production timelines among contributors.
Supported artwork delivery, installation, and exhibition preparation.
Project 562: Changing the Way We See Native America
Santa Monica College Barrett Gallery | 2022–2023
Worked with photographer Matika Wilbur and the Barrett Gallery on the installation of an exhibition featuring work from the 562 federally recognized tribes. Participated in artist interviews and contributed to conversations surrounding Indigenous representation and cultural visibility.
National Conference on Race and Ethnicity (NCORE) — New Orleans, LA
2023
Presented experiences working with Matika Wilbur on Project 562 and reshaping narratives on Indigenous peoples.
Managed exhibition installation and dismantling at off-site venues, ensuring timely and accurate setup and removal of artworks and display materials.
ARTIST DEVELOPMENT
Ox-Bow School of Art — Saugatuck, MI
Intensive Program | May 2026
Completed a body of work within a two-week intensive.
Studied traditional firing techniques and gained hands-on experience with reduction firing, flashing, and oxidation.
Maintained and recorded observations throughout the firing process, developing a deeper understanding of ceramic chemistry and the relationship between material and fire.
ARTS EDUCATION & TEACHING
Peer Educator — School of the Art Institute of Chicago — Chicago, IL
08/2026–Present
Coordinate meetings and events with incoming students.
Provide students with assistance with on- and off-campus career readiness and personal development.
Provide guidance to students acclimating to SAIC and navigating campus resources.
Santa Monica College Ceramics Internship / Assistant — Santa Monica, CA
02/2024–12/2024
Developed a structured ceramics studio training program focused on kiln operation, material handling, and student instruction.
Loaded and unloaded kilns and assisted students in sculpting figures.
Assisted with ceramics studio operations and student instruction.
Getty Docent Internship Program — Los Angeles, CA
02/2024–06/2024
Developed and facilitated virtual art history lessons for K–12 students.
Guided students in art interpretation and critical thinking.
Developed lessons on professional etiquette, museum positions, and opportunities to visit museum labs.
Play Mountain Place — Substitute & Summer Camp Teacher — Los Angeles, CA
06/2023–06/2024
Provided individualized support to students ages 2–12 in a self-directed learning environment.
Designed and implemented daily lesson plans and activities promoting emotional intelligence, critical thinking, and self-advocacy skills.
PUBLICATIONS & MEDIA
“Shaped in Black Clay, Forged in Memory, Resistance, and Renewal.” Arte Noir, 2025. Featured artist in Black Clay.
“Shaped in Black Clay, Forged in Memory, Resistance, and Renewal.” Artists Up Close, 2025. Featured artist and Tangled Roots | Weeping Willow.
Kangas, Matthew. “Black Clay.” Visual Art Source, January 22, 2026.
“Check Out Willow Vergara’s Story.” Voyage LA, July 1, 2025. Artist interview and profile.
Visionaries Magazine, Santa Monica College Barrett Gallery, 2024. Featured artwork: Self Portrait.
SMC Poetry Book, Santa Monica College. Published contributor.
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Global Citizenship Symposium
3rd Place
EXTRACURRICULAR & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
SMC Writers Club — Santa Monica College
Spring 2023
Black Collegians — Santa Monica College
Phi Theta Kappa
Shows
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Los Angeles
Los Angeles holds a deep significance in my life. It's more than just the place i was born; it's a collection of many diverse communities, each contributing to the unique personality of the city. Having moved dozens of times within Los Angeles, I was exposed to the rich interplay of cultures that define Los Angeles. This constant exposure to different perspectives fostered a sense of self-awareness and respect for cultures that can coexists within a space. By witnessing the powers of diversity in the enviroments around me, I learned to embrace and appreciate the multifaceted nature of my own cultural identity. Much like myself, LA is a place that always changing and reinventing itself. Growing up in a city that grows alongside you, has also taught me the importance of cherishing the present moment. This constant dynamism serves as a strong reminder to savor the beauty and ever progressing character of the city, and to embrace the inevitable changes that come with time. Yet, amidst this dynamism, I've witnessed a remarkable sense of community. Through the challenges and transformations that come with living in such a dynamic environment, I've been consistently reminded of the city's capacity for compassion and support. Los Angeles truly fosters an environment where individuals can build spaces of haven within this ever-evolving city.
Contact
I'm always looking for new and exciting opportunities. Let's connect.
+1 (424) 234 - 3920