Tulare Trans Artist Sharing Art at The Book Nook during June’s First Friday

Local Artist Will Share Her Portfolio of Art Aimed at Laughter and Acceptance

VISALIA, CA JUNE 2, 2023— As the opening weekend of 2023 Pride Month kicks off on Main Street in Visalia this Friday night, local artists and art lovers can celebrate one of Tulare’s up and coming trans mixed media artists at The Book Nook. Rhiley Jane, who has sold her prints, buttons and stickers across Tulare County, Fresno, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, will bring her story to Visalia’s First Friday Art Walk this weekend.

Rhiley was born and raised in Tulare, where she says she struggled to fully understand her identity because of a lack of positive queer role models in her local community. It wasn’t until she took a program assistant position at The Source, Visalia’s local community center celebrating the LGBTQ+ population across Tulare County, that Rhiley rediscovered her childhood love of art and began the journey toward selling her art professionally.

“I want to help people have a connection, a feeling like ‘Yeah! That’s me! I get it!’” said Rhiley. “I think symbology is a way to unite each other, and my goal is to help people have genuine connections with each other through the imagery in the art on your wall.”

Rhiley’s art is available now at The Book Nook, which officially opened its doors in October 2022. Owned and operated as a division of Family HealthCare Network, The Book Nook serves as the newest addition to FHCN’s literacy initiative with the goal of increasing literacy rates through Visalia and the surrounding communities. Since opening its doors, The Book Nook has served as a platform for local artists and authors to introduce themselves to a larger audience and share their work with people of the surrounding community.

If you’re interested in viewing, sharing, or purchasing any of Rhiley’s art, visit her Instagram at @rhileyjanestudios.

Event Details: First Friday Art Walk @ The Book Nook
Where: 114 W Main Street, Suite 102
When: Friday June 2nd, 5:00-8:00pm