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| Artist Statement 2008 |
| In 1997, I produced my first linocut after many years as primarily a poster maker and silkscreen artist. Influenced by the social realist tradition of Latin American printmaking (Jose Guadalupe Posada, Leopoldo Mendez, American Artist Elizabeth Catlett and Rupert Garcia) I have been exploring traditional printmaking, in particular woodcut and linoleum techniques. My focus has continued to be the figure or portrait as a means to tell a story, elaborating on the human condition. The prints that I have produced in the last two years are of people carrying objects or in the process of work. This carrying of things has been a metaphor for the heavy load on one’s shoulders through experiences of living. I have been an artist and cultural activist in the San Francisco, community for over thirty years and a mentor to many young emerging artists. My early poster art is now part of the Chicano Poster Movement. I recently retired and I will be dedicating my energy to creating more art and this year I will launch a new press called “Pajaro Editions” from my home and studio. Pajaro Editions will be part of a larger collective of Chicano/Latino printmakers, called Consejo Grafico, which meets annually. We work to promote and help sustain our Talleres nationally. Our work has included the development of images for AIDS awareness and obesity in the Latino community. |