Jardin Tlaloco 2024
Digital Drawings, Mixed Media
12 x 12 inches, 2d

After years of being preoccupied with the treadmill of non-Hispanic Graphic Design and Illustration projects and their environments; and painting traditional subjects, I felt devoid of my roots and my language. I sought to reclaim this. Our family trees begin in our roots; however, in adapting to our new environments as immigrants, we acculturate, thereby quickly losing our unique, colorful traditions and colloquial languages. Our roots are forgotten if we do not keep them alive, only to become part of the homogeneity within society.

We are forced to assimilate into American culture in the hopes of becoming socially accepted without realizing how it impacts our vernacular and lifestyles. While assimilation undeniably helps immigrants acclimate to a new home and feel more welcomed, it is essential as a desperate transition to “fit in.”

Indeed, the supporting power of our roots keeps us connected to each other, no matter where we live. Changes in the political climate further heightened and urgently awakened my passion for finding my artistic voice. These led me to my project: to acknowledge our rich cultural attributes by highlighting our Latino traditions while resolutely navigating forward in the U.S.

El Noviazgo con Tonatiuh III/III (Courtship with the Sun) 2021
Mixed Media: acrylic, collage, oil and wax on wood panel
18 x 24 x 10

La Nocturna de Cobalto (Night from Cobalt) 2021
Mixed media: acrylic, collage, and oil on wood panel
31.5 x 48 x 1.75