Aviator and motivational leader Jackie Camacho-Ruiz to jury 'Take Flight' art banner exhibit

Members of the West Chicago Cultural Arts Commission are hopeful that 2021 will prove to be an inspiring year for the arts in West Chicago. As a springboard for capturing the spirit of optimism for the future, they have issued a call for art for the 2021 art banner exhibit, titled "Take Flight."

Jacqueline Camacho-Ruiz (Jackie), a dynamic woman versed in all aspects of the theme, will jury artwork this year.

The entrepreneur, author, speaker and philanthropist uses the hashtag #Pilotina to describe herself as a member of the small group of Latina sports airplane pilots in the United States.

Camacho-Ruiz's connection to the world of aviation, as well as her positive credo of "you are capable of amazing things," makes her a perfect ambassador for this year's art banner exhibit. She is founder of the Fig Factor Foundation, an organization which helps inspire and empower young Latinas.

Whether literally or figuratively, "Take Flight" is a call to action which generates a host of ideas from aviation and space to concepts of rising above the unique challenges of 2020, breaking barriers or experiencing the joy and exhilaration of a successful endeavor, just to name a few.

Commission members hope the result to be a richly varied exhibit of art that takes the annual public art project to new heights of creative expression.

Submitting artwork for consideration is easy through an online form found on the city's website in the public art section, westchicago.org/arts-west-chicago/take-flight-in-2021/.

The deadline for submissions is Monday, Feb. 1.

To view the previous art banner exhibits, visit www.westchicago.org/arts/.