Un corazon
In my current body of work, I have been exploring my past as a source for new imagery. In Un corazon, the heart has become a personal symbol for the center of being and the field laborer, whose struggle and hardships I am very familiar with. As a child my family traveled through California, Oregon and Washington harvesting the crops. The color and texture of the tar on panel references the hands of the laborer and the dark wet earth in the fields and orchards. Together with the heart, they become a metaphor for the struggle of life and sustenance.

La vida de arte
La vida de arte is a departure from my earlier figurative works which were much brighter in color and more expressive in gesture. This painting is about my uncle whose simple lifestyle seems hopeless from the viewer's vantage point. When I painted this picture, the muted colors reminded me of his current state of loneliness and solitude. But I know that there must be hope because he has survived much hardship. The heart symbolizes life and hope.