Oscar Melara, half of Book and Wheel, grew up in the Mission District and as a young artist, co-founded La Raza Silkscreen Center. The Center trained youth and designed and printed posters for community groups and events. Melara’s work with the Center is in the collection of the Smithsonian and has been shown at the Berkeley Art Museum and internationally. His work is included in the Smithsonian’s 2020-2021 traveling exhibition Printing the Revolution: The Rise and Impact of Chicano Graphic, 1965 to Now. In addition to doing graphic design for unions and non-profits, he’s recently painted a mural on the musical history of Southeast San Francisco for the side of the Mexican Bus.
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