Living in various areas of the country, I came to the realization that there exists a common bond among all Chicanos. As a Chicana artist, one focus of my art is to celebrate our culture through images representing these common bonds: our cultural practices, heritage, family values, and religion. The Chicano culture is a vibrant and complex entity that is constantly defining itself. My art is a continued search to define myself and the common bonds of our people, to make visible my own reality, and to create an awareness and appreciation of our unique culture.

Christina, 1994
Watercolor/Prismacolor on paper/foamcore (free-standing figure, detail of installation Four Stages of Life), 66" x 40"

Christina is a free-standing figure (1 of 4) detail of an installation titled Four Stages of Life. The installation represents the four stages of life of a woman: child, teenager, adult and elder. It is comprised of four lifesize free-standing figures, each with an object that represents their identity and position in life. With this installation I wanted to create figures that would have more "connection" with the viewer than the traditional easel portraits. I was inspired by the work of Luis Jiménez, particularly the large free-standing figures he created for Honky Tonk and Gaspar Enríquez' cutout figures of acrylic on wood from his Pachuco series. In Christina, the teenage figure stands bold and confident, exhibiting a determined and powerful presence, but the rose at her feet indicates the tenderness and fragility of her true persona.

Virgen de las Rosas, 1993
Watercolor, paper, gold foil (retablo, 1 of 9; detail of Installation Ofrenda a me fe y cultura), 11" x 14"

The ofrenda in the form of an altar or shrine has been an avenue of expression for many Chicana artists. Altar-inspired art and retablos are art forms that express a more personal and intimate interpretation of spirituality and faith. In the installation Ofrenda a me fe y cultura, I identified certain cultural icons that had been very strong images in my life. Focusing on these images and symbols, I created nine retablos using such techniques as assemblage and collage. They were placed in the form of a cross on a gold fabric-covered wall. Flowing purple fabric framed the wall and a small table at the base of the cross was decorated with a variety of religious objects and memorabilia. The retablo Virgen de las Rosas is my personal interpretation of the age-old legend of the Virgen de Guadalupe. Roses have always been associated with the Virgen, so I decided to create an icon where I covered her cloak with roses as an offering to honor her image.