The Fruit of Life

New Paintings by Eliana Saucedo

August 9, 2025 - January 11, 2026
Moradian Gallery

The Fruit of Life is an exhibition of new works by local painter Eliana Saucedo. Presenting all new works, Saucedo has created paintings that celebrate the rich agricultural traditions of the Central San Joaquin Valley and her own family and culture.

The primary focus of these works is fruit. Reminiscent of the depictions found in the celebrated still lifes of the Dutch Golden Age (1588-1672), Saucedo has captured the glistening skin of a sliced orange, the juiciness of a ripe peach, seeds spilling from the heart of a cut-open papaya, and grapes heavy on the vine. With vibrant colors and skilled brush strokes, these images harken to the symbolic representations of fruit found throughout the many centuries of art history. These fruits dominate the canvases however instead of resting sedately on a table as part of tableau, bursting forth into the viewer’s space and in some cases extending beyond the visual field. Saucedo also pays tribute to her family with several images including one depicting her grandmother among a row of prickly cacti. An homage to Frida Kahlo, who also famously depicted fruit in many of her paintings, looms large among these works.

Eliana Saucedo graduated with an M.A. in studio painting from California State University, Fresno in 2011. For over 10 years, she has served as an adjunct instructor at Fresno Pacific University and Reedley Community College. Additionally, she teaches art studio courses at Orosi High School east of Dinuba in Tulare County. 

Saucedo is a former member of the Fig Tree Gallery and primarily works with oil on canvas. In 2016, her artwork was featured at Clovis Community College alongside the Smithsonian National Museum of American History traveling exhibition Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program, 1942-1964. She has collaborated on various art projects with the Fresno Arts Council; California State, University, Fresno; Reedley Community College; the Fresno County Office of Education; Tulare County Parks and Recreation Department; and numerous galleries throughout the San Joaquin Valley. In 2011, she served as a studio assistant to renowned visiting artist Consuelo Jimenez Underwood during the artist’s exhibition Undocumented Borderlands at California State University, Fresno.

Recently, Eliana Saucedo served as the artistic director for the Armed Forces Mural project honoring local veterans at Ledbetter Park in Orosi in Tulare County, collaborating with five of her art students from Orosi High School. 

This exhibition was curated by FAM Curator Sarah Vargas

 

Images: © Eliana Saucedo, Pomegranate, 2024, Oil on canvas, 24" x 24" | Papaya, 2024, Oil on canvas | Nectarine, 2024, Oil on canvas, 24" x 24" | Courtesy of the artist.