When Maite Benito Agahnia isn’t hunched over a canvas delicately brushing paint or using toothpicks to create an engaging abstract piece, she can be found speaking to high school students on pursuing their passion for art as a living. A happily married mother of two boys, Agahnia, 44, plays many roles in her life. She is also one of six female artists who banded together and formed Art6West, a group designed to allow the members to create and market their art. Add the role of “featured artist” to that list as she will be showcasing her work at the Mission Federal ArtWalk. The event is a celebration of art where thousands come together in Little Italy to create, sell and enjoy art on Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. On display will be Agahnia’s abstract mixed-media pieces and paintings. Her art is reflective of her life story. Born in Mexico, she spent much of her life moving around the world with her family. They lived in Spain and Canada before eventually moving to San Diego where she attended La Jolla Country Day School. She met her husband in college, and now enjoys life with her family in La Jolla as a successful graphic designer and mixed-media abstract artist. Her first passion, however, is still painting. “I paint every day,” she said. “That’s one commitment you have to make, when you’re an artist, saying ‘I’m going to paint every day’, and if you don’t it’s hard to get back into it, but the more you paint the more your creativity keeps you flowing, and it keeps you going.” Last year, Agahnia participated in the ArtWalk along with her Art6West colleagues. This year, she was asked to be one of 12 featured artists and will have her own booth on the street where it’s a lot easier to interact with art lovers than at a traditional art gallery, she said. The ArtWalk, covering about 16 blocks of Little Italy, aims to attract art lovers with more than 300 artists and craft vendors in a celebration of art. As part of the event, families and kids will also be able to enjoy arts and crafts hosted by local institutions such as Birch Aquarium and the New Children’s Museum. Amici Park on Date Street will host ArtReach, an interactive arts and crafts fair that will include performing arts. From the sophisticated art connoisseur, to the casual art lover, on down to the toddlers who may simply want to have their face painted, it’s the wide range of guests and artists like Agahnia that ArtWalk organizers have been bringing together for more than 25 years. “I like ArtWalk because I think it brings people who don’t go to art places all the time to you,” Agahnia said. “I like people. I like people to ask me about art and I like ArtWalk for that reason.” The Mission Federal ArtWalk will take place primarily along India Street between Grape and Beech streets. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.missionfederalartwalk.org.
