Molina ’18 is Artist of the Month for October

University of the Ozarks alumna Azalia Molina '18 will present her art exhibit, "De Pata y Sazón," from Oct. 7 through Nov. 1 in the Stephens Gallery as the University's Artist of the Month.

There will be a reception to meet the artist from 4-5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 18 in the gallery, located in the Walton Fine Arts Center. The reception is free and open to the public.

Molina is a ceramic and installation artist from Honduras. Her work celebrates collective history and traditions while exploring diaspora communities' cultural adaptation and identity, like her own.

She graduated with honors from Ozarks in 2018 with majors in business administration and art and was awarded Outstanding Student in Art. She is the founder and CEO of Clever Marketing Agency in Rogers, Ark.

She said "De Pata y Sazón," is an expression she created that blends two powerful ideas.

"De Pata is about staying grounded, connected to our roots, and honoring our origins," she said. "Sazón means bring the spice, flavor, the passion - the special touch Latinos infuse into everything we do."

Molina called her art project a "homecoming."

"It's a tribute to where we've been and where we are now," she said. "It's the feeling of missing home but simultaneously carrying it with us-in every color, memory and flavor."

As a first-generation female immigrant, Molina said she draws inspiration from her homeland's rich heritage and traditions. Immersed in its rich culture from an early age, she developed a profound sense of pride and belonging. However, as she ventured into new horizons and embraced new experiences, Molina said she grappled with questions of identity and belonging. Her experiences deeply influence her work, inspiring vibrant imagery that evokes deep emotions and encourages viewers to reflect on what makes a place feel like home.

Molina received the Mid-America Arts Alliance Artists 360 Practicing Artist Grant (2023) and the Individual Artist Fellowship Grant for Contemporary Craft from the Arkansas Arts Council (2024). Earlier this year, she was commissioned by the Clarksville-Johnson County Chamber of Commerce to create mural near the Levee Stage in downtown Clarksville.

Topics: Alumni Stories, Art