Poderosa Amarilla

This wood panel is one in a series of two portraits titled, Poderosa. These works celebrate the BIPoC artist femmes and visionaries who are boldly unapologetically building their own collectives and institutions. Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with some amazing BIPOC femmes who have a big vision - whether that’s building their own production companies, or launching a new brand, or entering spaces that are dominated by cis men. Some of the femmes are also raising children, caring for elderly parents, or doing their deep healing work.

I LOVE supporting folks in manifesting their big ideas. For the majority of my adult life, I have been an entrepreneur and institution builder. I never felt comfortable in male-run spaces, and my immigrant mom taught me how to build my own little start up. She didn’t have a college education but she had wits and drive, and she trusted her gut. In my early 20s, I dropped out of college to start my own business and launch my art studio.

Since then, I’ve been building institutions small and large to work with the folks who are aligned with radical values and who have the depth of lived experience, and who for a large part have been marginalized by our cultural system.

In these collages, I am remixing some of my textures, shapes and elements to tell an expansive and multi-faceted story about these amazing women.