Growing up, I always had a passion for art but never had the money to afford the materials. I remember my mom taking me to her job as a kid, and I would take a handful of the business brochures to draw on the back of them with random drawing utensils I could find. I was always curious about trying different mediums, different materials, and that curiosity grew to influence my artwork of today. My artworks vary from printmaking, silkscreen, drawing, graphic design, sculpture, painting, ceramics, woodshop, and photography. Jumping through these different art forms has allowed me to experiment with no boundaries and taught me to value the process just as much as the final piece- sometimes even more. Over the years, I have grown a passion to teach, which has been a huge motivator to expand my artistic practice. While I would love for all my art to have a deep meaning, some is solely with the intention of learning the technique and allowing my creativity to flow.
However, a lot of my art is based on religion, my Mexican roots, sexuality, nature, and death. These subjects demand a more thoughtful approach. They are the concepts that ground me to my identity and emotions.
My charcoal and acrylic drawings are my most meaningful pieces; they depict religious figures and death. These concepts began to flow into my art after losing three of my aunts to cancer. I draw them in charcoal when I feel emotionally and spiritually connected to the idea. I choose charcoal because of its elemental nature of fire and wood. Respectfully, I find irony in creating these meaningful drawings out of ash, as we are all destined to become.
It also reminds me of that resourceful child drawing on the back of brochures. I am still taking simple materials and integrating them with value and meaning. My artistic practice remains rooted in the belief that art is not defined by expensive tools, but by the spirit the artist pours into it.
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