Visions of life through the eyes of Latino art students were seen on the walls of University Resources for Latinos Wednesday.

The URL held a reception for its new art exhibit, curated by art graduate student Javier Chavira, titled “NIU Latino Creativity.” The show featured paintings and drawings, as well as donated pieces, including an Aztec solar calendar and Inca tapestry.

Chavira contributed pieces to the show in addition to serving as its curator. Two of his organically-inspired pieces were on display including “Crecimiento Celular,” which translates as “Cellular Growth.” The work was done on handmade tree bark paper Chavira purchased in Mexico while studying abroad. Using charcoal as a medium, the piece features organic, flowing forms.

Senior drawing major Sarah Mooney was impressed with Chavira’s work.

“It looks amazing … I like the movement, the sort of tentacle-like forms,” she said. “It’s so alive.”

Chavira said his work is inspired by life in its smallest forms.

“I’m very much interested in micro-organisms and cells and things like that … so that is my interpretation of a little being, a cross-section of a little organism,” he said describing “Crecimiento Celular.”

Art professor Charlotte Rollman appreciated the show’s cultural emphasis.

“It’s really wonderful that the Latino Center is doing art and continuing the multicultural education through art,” she said. “Latino work is extremely expressive and very colorful … and inspiring through content.”

Freshman design major Beatriz Rodriguez contributed a three-frame piece for the show titled “The Struggle,” which she said represents “the race for humanity against evil.”

The piece, made of red, white and black acrylic paint on paper, uses the number six to represent the human form. The number’s repetition in each piece alludes to the number 666 and evil faced by mankind, she said.

Center director George Gutierrez said he hopes the show sends an important message to Latino students.

“Both music and art are part of Latino culture & it creates a sense of pride that they can do things,” he said. “I want the students, and all Latinos, to know it is tremendous art and perhaps skills and beauty in the art.”

Gutierrez said sharing the artwork reminds the Latinos that they can succeed at NIU.

“Sometimes Latinos think they are a small group, and there’s a perception that they are not succeeding,” he said. “The Latin community here is doing a tremendous job. I want to promote the idea that they can come here and succeed.”