Hybrid Beasts. Bilingual Voices. One Unforgettable Fundraiser. 

A kaleidoscope of mythical beasts will come alive at Creatures for a Cause: Student Art & Mexican Myth, a fundraising exhibition at Shari Brownfield Fine Art from May 27th to June 6. The exhibition celebrates the talent of local high school artists—and the powerful role of art in building cultural connections and being a tool for transformation. The show is both a celebration and a cause, as a significant portion of each artwork sold will go directly towards two scholarship programs. One being the Dual Immersion Program for our community’s Spanish Through Art high school course, as well as a forthcoming scholarship designed for students impacted in the arts offered through the Teton County’s Fund for Public Education and supported by Shari Brownfield Fine Art.

Inspired by the success of the National Museum of Wildlife Art’s acclaimed student-led show, this new community-driven event builds on that creative spark. Led by our community’s “Spanish through Art” teacher and practicing artist himself, Gabriel Lopez, his students have created a dazzling collection of papier-mâché alebrijes—brightly colored, fantastical creatures rooted in Mexican folk art. Gabriel Lopez has contributed two of his works as well! Not unlike Wyoming’s famed Jackalope, each alebrijes is a unique hybrid animal, dreamed up by students who blended native species of the Teton and Yellowstone region into new mythic forms. Each newly imagined creature echoes the whimsical spirit of traditional alebrijes while honoring our region’s inspiring wildlife.

“I happened upon the student exhibition at the museum, and was immediately blown away. I felt that what Mr. Lopez and his students created needed to be further highlighted; that these student works were absolutely worthy of continued exhibition and sales,” says Shari Brownfield. “We gave the students options for the sale of their artwork, including earning some of the sales price themselves, but they voted to forego that and put the money toward future scholarships instead. This event keeps that energy going—with the added mission of raising funds to support more opportunities for future artists.”

These student-made alebrijes are more than just vibrant works of art — they are bold statements of creativity with purpose. Through imagination, cultural expression, and craft, local youth are using their voices to spark change and give back while investing in their futures. Every piece tells a story, and every dollar raised supports a next chapter. This is art as activism; a grassroots exhibition and fundraiser that goes right back to the creators.