Montoya is considered one of the most important artists of the Chicano cultural movement, and a pioneer of social silkscreening in Northern California. At 77, Montoya is a professor emeritus at UC Davis, and he is still teaching free art classes at the Taller Arte del Nuevo Amanecer, which he founded with his son Maceo. Fernando Torres visited him at the workshop. This story is part of our series Raíces: Los Maestros. Stories About Those who are Passing Art on to the Next Generation.

Fernando Torres visited this master muralist in one of her classes and in her workshop in West Berkeley and reports she involves the whole neighborhood when she paints a mural. This feature is part of our series “Raíces: Los Maestros. Stories About Artists Who Pass On Their Art to the Next Generation”.