My work comes from a belief that art can be a powerful agent for intellectual inquiry and social change. Conceptually, I draw from the personal, with the intention of making the issues public. Some of my projects are large-scale and very difficult to clearly represent in visual documentation. In these projects I engage with communities, […]

I am a collector of objects and images. Over two decades after finding my first camera I am still photographing, and scouring flea markets and streets for interesting items. What someone is discarding as useless, I often see as rich in form and texture…and still of use. Today, I take this picture-making and object collecting […]

A number of years ago I used to incorporate found materials into my artwork. I enjoyed granting a new life to things previously cast off as garbage.  I was living in New York City at the time and resources were plentiful.  When I moved to San Francisco, however, I had to severely curtail my assemblage […]

Garbage made me violently ill.  If I smelled refuse when I was pregnant, I would throw up.  My friends and family kindly put the trash outside when I was around. I am reminded of this period every time I get a whiff of the wet garbage as I walk up to the 2,000 square foot […]

The inspiration for my work stems from a deep appreciation for all things related to textiles, clothing, and fashion. My educational background is in design, with an emphasis on art to wear. For nearly 20 years, I maintained a weaving studio, taking on private clients, as well as showing work in exhibitions both locally and […]

My sculptures are abstract, simple, rough, and powerful. The forms are easy to approach, but the symbolism develops subtly over time. My vision is primarily of shapes, textures, and colors. Not words, names, or descriptions. I aspire to create works that are things in themselves, not just symbols or analogies. When I take found materials […]

I am a video/new media artist who works with computers, photographs, and films. I use recycled materials, such as 8 and 16mm home movies, found photographs, and found letters. I edit these in the computer and create short videos, prints, and three-dimensional installations. I am concerned with issues of memory, how we interpret and understand […]

My artist agenda has always been the promotion of cartoons as an art form. Cartoon imagery is a keystone of pop culture, and I dissect this popular icon through what I term “Cartoon Literalism.” My personal reaction born of an eclectic mix of cliche cartoon protocol and individual aesthetic Cartoon Literalism is a simple narrative […]

Ever since I can remember, I was told not to be what I am, Chicana. Discouraged from speaking my mother tongue and encouraged to pass, by the age of six I stopped speaking altogether. Language has always been central to my artistic and life observations.  It wasn’t until I was in my 40s that I […]

My work is a social statement, a commentary on Society. Visions from daily life are points of departure for my work. The concepts I have used in my art are chosen as they are introduced via mass communication media or through personal experiences. I utilize recycled clay, concrete, and rust in combination with found objects […]