STMT

My work is rooted in the concept of memory and portrays a state of existence. To be alive is to generate memory, reminisce, and remain conscious of our past, chronicled in elements of nature such as water, wind, rocks, and the cellular membranes of plants and animals. The landscape is a living entity that bears witness to history, and all its inhabitants carry meaning across time and space.
Handmade textiles, crafted from natural fibers, hold a unique potential to communicate with us and exchange ideas. This ability has been evident for centuries, as documented by the pre-Hispanic use of textiles as messengers of information. In the absence of written language, the fiber was used to collect, share, and record our past, serving as a vital link between past and present.
My work and practice are deeply interwoven with the historical significance of cotton, which serves as my primary source material. With its rich history, this fiber holds great personal and familial significance. On a larger scale, cotton represents the global and regional history of Tejano and Latino families and their connection through their lineage of labor harvesting the fiber in South Texas fields for generations.
In each tapestry, sculpture, and installation, my fond memories of long stretches of cotton along county roads collide with the violent untold histories within the region, transmitting the many complex narratives left lingering in the landscape. I aim to uncover and reveal the messages in these Earthly textures laden with meaning.