YLA 19 write up in The Huffington Post

Priscilla Frank of The Huffington Post did a wonderful write up of the Young Latina Artists 19 exhibition at Mexic-Arte Museum.  I am so proud to be included with these amazing women! Click on the link below to check it out.

The Huffington Post - 12 Young Latina Artists Changing the Contemporary Art Landscape

Outside of My Body, Outside of My Skin I & II

Outside of My Body, Outside of My Skin I & II
2014
recycled paper, latex paint, cotton fabric, ink
48" x 48"
48" x 48"

On the fabric that spills from each self portrait, I have shared my some of family's stories (stories of loss, stories of celebration, stories of revelation, stories about cucuys) of the Texas-Mexico border and in the process gained an understanding of my Tejana identity.

Young Latina Artists 19: Y, Que?

I am thrilled to have my latest work be a part of this exhibition at Mexic-Arte Museum in Austin, TX! 

Young Latina Artists 19: Y, Qué?
Guest Curators: Más Rudas Chicana Collective
Mexic-Arte Museum
419 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 480-9373


Opening Reception:
June 13 from 6:00 PM-9:00 PM
Free for members/$5 for general public

Performances by
Fabiola Torralba: 7:00 PM-7:15 PM
Awilda Rodriguez Lora: 8:00 PM-9:00 PM

Young Latina Artists 19: Y, qué?
The Young Latino Artists (YLA) exhibition has historically provided Latino artists under the age of thirty-five with professional-level museum experience and exposure. In 1996, the inception of the Young Latino Artists Exhibition resulted in one of the most highly anticipated annual traditions for the Mexic-Arte Museum. Now in its nineteenth year, the next YLA exhibition Y, qué? will be guest curated by the Más Rudas Chicana Collective; Ruth Buentello, Sarah Castillo, Kristin Gamez, and Mari Hernandez.

In a time where the validity and necessity of Latina art is in question in contemporary art, Y, Qué? (“and what!”) is a bold gesture of unflinching existence as well as an affirmation of the state of multiple identities. Curated by Más Rudas Chicana art collective based in San Antonio, Texas, Y, Qué? includes Latina artists cultivating artistic vocabularies to understand the world around them. Their artistic languages at times converge and diverge, as they all work towards resolving conflicts that derive from questions related to race, class, cultural identity, gender, and sexuality.

Selected artists include:
Natalia Anciso, Daphne Arthur, Nani Chacon, Audrya Flores, Suzy Gonzalez, Alexis Herrera, Las Hermanas Iglesias, Annette Martinez, Senalka McDonald, Awilda Rodriguez Lora, Cristy C. Road, Linda Lucía Santana, and Fabiola Torralba.


Young Latino Artists 19 Exhibition Programming

June 14, 2014
12-1 PM
YLA 19 Artists Talk with Nani Chacon,
Alexis Herrera, Awilda Rodriguez Lora
Linda Lucia Santana, Fabiola Torralba, and Más Rudas Chicana Collective
Admission: Free for Members/$5 for general public

June 28, 2014
2-3 PM
Public Tour by Curators, Mås Rudas Chicana Collective
Admission: Free for Members/$5 for general public

July 27, 2014
2-4 PM
Make and Take with Audrya Flores
Admission: Free for Members/$5 for general public

September 6, 2014
1-3 PM
Family Day with Alexis Herrera
Admission: Free for the general public

EVIL

When I decided to record family stories for this project, this is one of the first that I thought of.  It is a story that was told to me by a cousin.  The image has haunted me for years.  It is easily one of my favorites of the bunch.

"I was walking to church early one morning. I was an altar boy and we had to get there early. The sun wasn't up yet. I looked up and saw a dog in front of me. Growling at me. Right in the middle of the road. But this dog wasn't no normal dog. It had a long snout. Like really long. Maybe two feet long. And right then, I knew it was evil. There was no other explanation. Dogs just don't look like that. So I made the sign of the cross over myself and picked up a big rock. But when I went to throw it, the dog was gone." 

STORYTELLING

I am incorporating storytelling into the two pieces I'm currently working on.  These are family stories that give a peek into my childhood on the Texas-Mexico border.  Here are some examples of the experimenting I've been doing with script on linens.

slow progress

I chose to arrange my paper background in a way that will hopefully give my final image a fragmented and distant feel.  I arranged the paper first and then glued it down to a 4' x 4' piece of plywood.  The gluing takes several sessions and I use all kinds of objects to weigh the paper down overnight.  I used scrap wood to build a frame.

NEW WORK for an upcoming group show

I am currently creating two large self portraits for a group show in June.  This is the first step in my process.  I have collected this thick, grainy card-board colored paper from the cafeteria at the school I teach at.  It is used as a barrier between stacks of food.  I initially salvaged a huge pile of it from the garbage, but now it is set aside just for me.  My coworkers are so supportive!  I want the backgrounds of my images to appear like old photographs.  One background is a black/brown color and the other is this rust/sepia color.  I used whatever paint I had laying around (acrylic and latex) and a lot of water.