Permiso
Location
FA-203
Start Date
1-5-2026 12:00 PM
Department
Art + Design
Abstract
Contextualizing my experience as a first generation Mexican-American woman, my body of work examines what it means to remain authentic to myself whilst remaining rooted in my culture. Influenced by the matriarchs in my life, I pay homage to the traditions that have been passed down and have shaped me as an individual. Grounded in my heritage, I incorporate significant symbols and motifs taken from lived experiences and allow them to influence and take precedence in my work through the use of colors, images and textures. Some of the experiences that most influence my work include walking through my grandmother’s house in Mexico, hearing her parakeets chirping and standing in a cerro surrounded by cacti under the blazing sun. Exploring how these small moments have had a significant impact on my identity, I personify them into large scale human structures. Such structures mimic reality, as they stand as life sized depictions of myself navigating spaces throughout my life, heavily influenced by my traditions. Working primarily in figurative forms, I explore the idea of memories remaining in the body. Sculpting exaggerated features, I emphasize the bold and warm qualities of the memories that exist just underneath my skin. Working with terracotta and red earthenware, I inform the viewer of the clay’s call to remain visible, as it calls attention to its bright finish and raw texture. Playing with a variety of earthenware clay bodies and iron oxides, I aim to display an interpretation of my own lived experience as a Mexican-American woman remaining grounded and seen.
Faculty Sponsor
Nate Matthews
Permiso
FA-203
Contextualizing my experience as a first generation Mexican-American woman, my body of work examines what it means to remain authentic to myself whilst remaining rooted in my culture. Influenced by the matriarchs in my life, I pay homage to the traditions that have been passed down and have shaped me as an individual. Grounded in my heritage, I incorporate significant symbols and motifs taken from lived experiences and allow them to influence and take precedence in my work through the use of colors, images and textures. Some of the experiences that most influence my work include walking through my grandmother’s house in Mexico, hearing her parakeets chirping and standing in a cerro surrounded by cacti under the blazing sun. Exploring how these small moments have had a significant impact on my identity, I personify them into large scale human structures. Such structures mimic reality, as they stand as life sized depictions of myself navigating spaces throughout my life, heavily influenced by my traditions. Working primarily in figurative forms, I explore the idea of memories remaining in the body. Sculpting exaggerated features, I emphasize the bold and warm qualities of the memories that exist just underneath my skin. Working with terracotta and red earthenware, I inform the viewer of the clay’s call to remain visible, as it calls attention to its bright finish and raw texture. Playing with a variety of earthenware clay bodies and iron oxides, I aim to display an interpretation of my own lived experience as a Mexican-American woman remaining grounded and seen.