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Metro worker photographing Colorful printmaking piece featuring overlapping portraits of military veterans, rendered in bold inks and textured layers, highlighting their expressions and individuality through dynamic composition and rich color contrasts.
Metro Employee Photographing Newly Installed Artwork

Veterans, their families, and the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center (West LA VA) community arehonored in Colors of Courage, temporary art banners for the Metro D Line station construction site at the West LA VA.

Artist Stephanie Mercado led a series of printmaking and collage workshops with residents and community members at Veteran service provider organizations located at the West LA VA, includingNew Directions for Veterans, Veterans Home of California—West Los Angeles (CalVet), and the Bandini Foundation Heroes Golf Course. Workshop participants were guided through printmaking techniques, and encouraged to bring photographs of themselves, their families and other objects of importance to add to their projects. Contributions from these workshops are included in the finalbanner artwork designs, offering a glimpse into the stories and experiences of the participants.

Colorful printmaking piece featuring overlapping portraits of military veterans, rendered in bold inks and textured layers, highlighting their expressions and individuality through dynamic composition and rich color contrasts.
Oasis, 2025 Relief print collage, illustration, and participant artworks (shadow boxes) 12 x 40 ft
Colorful printmaking piece featuring overlapping portraits of military veterans, rendered in bold inks and textured layers, highlighting their expressions and individuality through dynamic composition and rich color contrasts.
New Directions, 2025 Relief print collage, illustration, and participant artworks (bandanas and relief prints) 12 x 40 ft
Colorful printmaking piece featuring overlapping portraits of military veterans, rendered in bold inks and textured layers, highlighting their expressions and individuality through dynamic composition and rich color contrasts.
To Be Free… (CAL Vet), 2025 Relief print collage, illustration, and participant artworks (coloring and collage) 12 x 28 ft
Colorful printmaking piece featuring overlapping portraits of military veterans, rendered in bold inks and textured layers, highlighting their expressions and individuality through dynamic composition and rich color contrasts.
Heroes, 2025 Relief print collage, illustration, and participant artworks (relief prints) 12 x 28 ft

Artist's Statement

“These banners are meant to honor and uplift the people who have been called to service,their families, and the VA staff who provide care and support for the wounded, the personstruggling to transition back into civilian life, and their family members.“
To Be Free… (CAL Vet), detail, with poem by Veteran
Navy Veteran Elizabeth Shaddix sharing an image of and artwork they made during an art-making workshop
New Directions (detail)
US Coast Guard Veteran Dan Dezotell showing a bandana he made using a block print he carved of "secret squirrel"
Heroes (detail)
Army Veteran Alexandra Sheehey with her son at an art making workshop
Air Force Veteran Jenein White showing a shadow box art work made during an art making workshop
Oasis, (detail)

About the Artist

STEPHANIE MERCADO (Los Angeles, California)  is an interdisciplinary artist, artsadministrator and teaching artist from the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles. Focused onthe workforce, manual labor, and empowerment, her work pays homage to the dignity andcontributions of others. Mercado uses traditional printmaking techniques to highlight the intimatelink between laborers and their craft, emphasizing the transformative power of work. Mercadoreceived a Bachelor of Fine Arts from California State University Long Beach. She has exhibited

internationally, including exhibitions in Norway and Cuba. Herwork is included in the permanent collections of the Los AngelesCounty Museum of Art, Tamarind Institute of Lithography, NewMexico, and the Mexic-Arte Museum in Austin, Texas. Display year: 2025Locations: Metro D Line Station construction site at the West LosAngeles VA Medical Center

CATEGORY: Love Leimert, Future, Construction Banners + Fences
LOCATION(S): D Line