La Plata, Md. — The Charles County Public Library will host a Latinx Art Panel and Showcase on September 27, 2025, from 2 to 4 p.m. at its Waldorf West branch, offering residents a chance to engage with Maryland-based artists through discussion and an exhibition of their work.
The event, set at 10405 O’Donnell Place in Waldorf, kicks off with a panel featuring four artists: Jainson Cedillo, Camila Leão, Catherine Rupan Mapp and Aynex Mercado. They will discuss how their Latinx identities influence their creative processes and the cultural elements embedded in their pieces. An open showcase follows, allowing attendees to view selections from each artist’s portfolio, converse informally and explore the narratives behind the works.
Sarah Anderson, program and outreach manager for the library, described the afternoon as an opportunity to highlight local talent during Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 to October 15. “This showcase is an incredible opportunity to support local artists while celebrating the richness and diversity of Latinx heritage,” Anderson said. “We hope the community will come together to experience the creativity and cultural expression of these inspirational artists.”
Admission is free, with no registration needed. For details, call 301-645-1395 or email westref@ccplonline.org. More information appears on the library’s website.
The panel aligns with National Hispanic Heritage Month, a period established in 1968 by President Lyndon B. Johnson to recognize contributions from Hispanic and Latino Americans, whose roots trace to Spain, Mexico and Spanish-speaking countries in Central and South America and the Caribbean. The observance expanded in 1988 under President Ronald Reagan to span 30 days, encompassing independence celebrations for nations like Mexico on September 16, Chile on September 18 and Puerto Rico on September 23. In Maryland, events this year include art exhibitions and cultural festivals, such as the Colores exhibit in Montgomery County featuring Latino artists and a community day at Riversdale House Museum in Prince George’s County with hands-on activities.
Among the panelists, Camila Leão stands out for her multimedia approach. Born in 1990 in São Paulo, Brazil, Leão moved to Baltimore in recent years and specializes in illustration, murals and public art. Her pieces blend vibrant colors, intricate textures and fluid forms inspired by Brazilian coastlines and urban energy. She has contributed to Baltimore Magazine, designed the largest municipal lighthouse in Essex and painted structures in Towson through initiatives like the “Flower Box” project, which beautified utility boxes and earned coverage in The Baltimore Sun. Leão’s work appears on canvases, digital platforms and city walls, often commissioned by clients including TED Countdown and the University of California, Berkeley.
Catherine Rupan Mapp, originally from Miami, Florida, brings a focus on hybridity, healing and transformation to her paintings. A graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art, where she majored in sculpture and explored materials like wood, metal and fiber, Mapp draws from her Mexican, Cuban and Guyanese heritage. Her works layer patterns, hieroglyphics and symbols reminiscent of rave posters and Caribbean aesthetics, creating immersive scenes that prompt reflection on identity and community. She maintains a studio in Baltimore’s Station North arts district, benefiting from Maryland’s tax incentives for creatives in designated zones. Mapp’s art has shown at the Chesapeake Arts Center, including a 2023 group exhibit on Hispanic and Latinx voices, and she plans a solo show there in October 2025 titled “Half Remembered, Half Made”. Her path to specialization involved self-taught roots before formal training, emphasizing daily practice alongside opportunities in museums and galleries.
Aynex Mercado, a quilter from Puerto Rico who has lived in Frederick since 2008, incorporates personal resilience into her fabric-based pieces. Born in 1978, Mercado arrived in the U.S. in 1996 for studies at the University of Massachusetts but shifted to art after a 1997 car accident caused a spinal cord injury, leading her to quilt left-handed. Her bold, vivid quilts depict architecture and landscapes, such as Frederick’s Carroll Creek Park, using pieced fabrics to evoke emotion and place. A federal employee by day and self-taught artist, she exhibits nationally as a member of Studio Art Quilt Associates and the DC Modern Quilt Guild. Recent shows include “Quilting Frederick” at Maryland Hall in Annapolis through November 2024 and a spot in the Chesapeake Arts Center’s 2023 Latinx exhibit. Mercado’s work highlights everyday challenges for disabled artists, from logistics to finishing large pieces under deadlines.
Details on Jainson Cedillo remain limited in public records, though the artist’s inclusion underscores the panel’s aim to amplify emerging Maryland voices tied to Latinx traditions.
Southern Maryland’s art scene, centered in communities like Waldorf with its proximity to Washington, D.C., benefits from venues such as the College of Southern Maryland’s galleries and Arts Council in St. Mary’s County.
As Hispanic Heritage Month unfolds, similar gatherings statewide — from zoo exhibits with folkloric dances to film series at the Hispanic Society Museum — emphasize unity. In Charles County, where Mattawoman Creek’s waterways inspire local creators, the September 27 program invites families to connect over shared stories, reinforcing the library’s role as a cultural anchor for the region’s evolving mosaic.
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