 American Artist• Working Professional Since 1989 • Graphic Design, Painting, Drawing, Digital Technologies, and Audio Video Editing. Mural creation/ restorations, decorative arts including- trompe l’oeil and faux finishing. Musical performance includes percussion locally and internationally. |
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY
Higgy was born Emigdio C. Vasquez, the son of famed Chicano Artist Emigdio Vasquez in Old Towne Orange CA., the residence of the Orange Barrio Cypress St. Higgy was a nickname given by his mother Rosie as a child. Rosie had given all her six children nicknames. Rosie’s father nicknamed her “chicken.” Before she passed away, Rosie would document her family’s history in a book, “Hi My Name is Chicken,” published via the Anaheim California Library. From an early age, Higgy began to apprentice with his father and master the acrylic painting medium while painting murals with the Sr Emigdio in high school. Later attending Fullerton College for classical training, drawing, art history, and sculpture. At the age of 19, Higgy helped his father complete “La Educacion y El Trabajo” for Irvine Valley College and later restored the same mural in 2015. Higgy was the lead artist in collaboration with his father for a 50th Anniversary mural for Cal State Fullerton titled “Access, Education, and Equity” in 2008. Higgy restored the Cypress St. Mural, “El Proletariado de Atzlan,” a year-long project in 2014. A documentary was produced about him and his notable father, “The Cypress St. Mural: El Proletariado de Atzlan,” produced and directed by Katherine Bowers and selected by the Orange County Film Fiesta showcase in 2015.
In 2015, Higgy re-created 3 vintage square murals for the City of Anaheim 2015 at Citrus Park. Anaheim gave him an award for art in public places, which his father received 25 years prior. In 2015, Higgy restored The Orange County Fair’s artwork at Table of Dignity, La Justicia, and created new images for Dignity at this popular exhibit. The O.C. Fair and Event Center recognized him.
Higgy was chosen for the prestigious Getty Museum Project in 2017-18, Pacific Standard Time LA/LA, creating a new mural on Chapman University. A documentary short was produced about Higgy Vasquez and the process to create the mural, called “Visions of Chapman” The film was selected by the Orange County Film Fiesta and showcased in a special event, “An Evening with Katherine Bowers,” in Anaheim, Ca.
In 2019, Higgy restored the popular mural “Ninos del Mundo” in the City of Fullerton, Cal., a mural he co-painted with his father at 25 years old.