TIJUANA – The works of some of Mexico's renowned painters, such as José Clemente Orozco, Juan Soriano and Jorge González Camarena are at the heart of an exhibit that opened over the weekend to celebrate "The Great Ones from Jalisco."

The inauguration Friday coincided with the first of a three-day art festival called Entijuanarte 2011 at the Centro Cultural Tijuana (Cecut).

Tens of thousands of people turned out for the annual festival, which ended Sunday. More than 90 artists exhibited and sold their works in the center's courtyard, including a couple of dozen from outside Mexico.

In addition to paintings, sculptures and photographs, the works included video, robotics and the industrial design in vogue today.

Every year, the festival highlights the art from one Mexican state. Organizers selected Jalisco this year. A total of 22 powerful, colorful paintings make up the exhibit called "Los grandes de Jalisco."

"This is an example of the artistic, and cultural legacy we have in the state," said the director of Jalisco's art secretariat, Alejandro Craviotro Lebrija, on hand for the inauguration.

The exhibit includes works of Ignacio Aguirre, Jesús Guerrero Galván, Rubén Mora Gálvez, María Marín and Guadalupe Sierra, among others.

One of the paintings that stands out is a portrait of Mexican icon Dolores del Río, created by José Clemente Orozco in 1944.

Over the years, tens of thousands of Jalisco natives have left their hometowns to settle on Mexico's northern border region or in the United States, so this exhibit promises to be a popular one during its month-long duration at Cecut.

andrea.garcia@sandiegored.com