2016 - 2017, personal embroidery, glass beads, glass pieces, upper chair 20th century New Orleans, LA, chair legs 18th century Utica, NY, 42” h x 20” w x 26” d
La Cordobésa was begun during my 2016 residency at the Joan Mitchell Center in New Orleans. I finished the work at the BRIC Workspace in NYC.
In December 2014, I suffered a broken foot in a bus accident which rendered me unable to continue my work as an Afro-Latin dance instructor. While recuperating from the accident and as I dealt with its repercussions on my livelihood, I started mining the remnants that pertained to this part of my life, disassembling the embroidery, sequin, and lace from my dance ensembles. These beautiful artifacts are drenched with the history, culture, ritual, music, and dances of the Afro-Indigenous traditions of South America, Central America, and the Caribbean.
2021, vintage wood cradle, glass beads, personal embroidery, encaustic, 33” x 22” x 16”
Cradle addresses the humanitarian crisis taking place at the Southern US Border. Family separation is a cruel and inhumane policy whose system is overwhelmed.
The work utilizes a 100 year old cradle, which is labored with embroidery, sequin, vintage glass pieces and glass beads indicating the place for someone royal. The inside of the cradle is full of growing vines ready to take back this being into the earth.
The vintage green glass pieces symbolizing precious minerals, highlighting the original subordination of Latin America and the Caribbean to the status of an unofficial colony of the USA and European entities. The legalization of the precious materials removed from these lands while making illegal the people coming from these regions. Much of the embroidery takes form as flowers and leaves, symbols of the nature that has enriched these Colonial nations.
2019, installation, vintage chair, found embroidery, glass beads, crystals, metal chain, metal pendents, chain, ceramic, silk flowers, glass amulets, pigment, pearls, plaster on wire mesh, wood, 15’ l x 9’ d x 9’ h
Charlotte was created during my residency in 2019 at the McColl Center for Art + Innovation in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was inspired by the life of Queen Charlotte, for whom the city was named. The City has made a huge effort to erase, by demolition, most of its colonial history. Queen Charlotte was a direct descendent of Margarita de Castro y Sousa, a black branch of the Portuguese Royal House. Artists were instructed to soften her features for royal portraits.
Antique Lamé ribbon, eye portraits - watercolor on watercolor paper, crystals,
Vigilante in Spanish means to watch or guard. In this country the meaning has been twisted to mean an unofficial group who preys, catch and punish someone who they assumed committed a crime. The history of lynching is a history of vigilantes.
2016, clay sculpture, violin tailpiece, leather, embroidery, glass beads, bells, 48” h x 20” w x 4”d
Tunisia was begun during my residency at the Joan Mitchell Center and finished at my Sculpture Space Residency
I traveled to Tunisia in my early 20's. I met a family who had been enslaved for many generations. They had finally attained they're freedom in the early 1970's. Even though slavery in Tunisia was abolished in 1846, Colonialism in remote areas has tentacles that are very hard to disengage.
2011 - 2018, clay sculpture, personal embroidery, glass beads, crystals, metal base, 20” h x 6” w x 8” d
Fuente/Source was created during my 2018 Museum of Art and Design residency.
2019, clay sculpture, personal silk embroidery, metal necklaces
8” H x 30” L x 12” D
Blue Blood is part of a series of sculpted hearts inspired and dedicated to all of the fallen soldiers and heroes throughout the history of this country. Latinos have received more medals of honor than any other ethnic group, yet they are derided by politicians and the media.