INJOY "A Journey Of Overcoming Grief & Loss Through The Power Of Art" // 9:30pm-12:30am

Feb 11
2 min read

Friday, March 6th, 9:30pm-12:30am

Sirena Mercado & Grassroots Community Space 54 Coles St, Jersey City, NJ 07302, Grassroots Community Space

INJOY "A Journey Of Overcoming Grief & Loss Through The Power Of Art"

A series of acrylic on canvas paintings by artist Sirena Mercado. Sirena Mercado is a multifaceted artist and musician born in Valparaiso, Chile currently residing in Jersey City, NJ. She is also known as "The Apple" from the Chilean Folk Duo "The Apple & The Tree". The duo featured her father Manny Arancibia and the two performed in Jersey City, sharing their love for Chilean Folk Music with captive audiences. Sadly her father passed away on September 17, 2025 and as a way to cope with her grief she began to paint. The series features a collection of paintings depicting vibrant colors, whimsical landscapes and the sun.

A word from the artist:

"I was in so much pain due to the passing of my father. The winter made grieving so much more difficult. it's cold, there is no sun, everything is gray... Most days it was hard to get out of bed. My father was very special to me and we made beautiful music together but music became a painful reminder of my dad and I couldn't use music to heal. As an artist I have many passions, I create costumes, I DJ, I sing, I drum, I dance... I knew I had to do something creative to cope with the sadness. I turned to painting for comfort. I wanted to create a place where everything was bright and sunny. It has been so therapeutic to create a world full of whimsy to get me out of the dark place I was in. Painting made me feel better. My worst moments, my most emotional and painful days turned into these beautiful, colorful paintings. I surrounded myself with bright and cheerful colors and I found some relief from my pain, even if for a moment. My father was an amazing musician and he taught me that music and art are healing. He reminded me to put my all emotions into my art and that is exactly what I did when I created INJOY."

~Sirena Mercado~

The show will be a series of events both Friday and Saturday:

Friday, March 6, 2026 2-5pm - Open Studio time / Preview of Art Show

Friday, March 6, 2026 9:30pm - 12:30am - Art Party with DJ Sirena Mercado

Saturday, March 7, 2026 6pm - 10pm - Official Art Opening

Saturday, March 7, 2026 at 7pm - Artist Talk and Q&A

Location:

Grassroots Community Space

54 Coles St.

Jersey City, NJ 07302

www.grassrootscommunityspace.com

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