“Reaching for Mother” Dec 2022
Although I drew myself, the portrait is actually symbolic of the feminine divine, the Mother God. I actually see myself represented more in the nursing baby.
The baby wears red, symbolic of humankind, of mortality. The Mother is wearing white, a common symbol of holiness and the celestial. She also wears a green flower, symbolic of life and beauty. Her backdrop is the heavens—where she reigns and resides.
I chose to have a bottom-up perspective so that the viewer is at the same level as the nursing baby—looking up to Her. The baby nursing is symbolic of receiving spiritual, emotional, and even temporal nourishment/blessings from She Who Gives Life. As the baby is happily nursing in the comfort and warmth of Her arms, the baby reaches up, reaching for his/her Mother. You’ll notice Her long hair cascading down over Her left shoulder; this for me is symbolic of Her priesthood power and also the veil. So, as the baby nurses and reaches for Mother, we realize that She is never far away—she is within our reach, there, watching over us, nursing us, loving us.
I loved working on this piece. I really felt connected to the concept and felt like in my own way I was reaching out to Her and receiving Her love. I also love what my professor said about the composition. He said it reminded him of The Madonna and baby Jesus paintings during the Renaissance—because of the Mother and nursing child reference, but also because it is composed in the traditional pyramid shape. I’m glad he was getting the right vibes/idea from the piece.
For this assignment we were only allowed to use red, yellow ochre, brown, black, and white. This was so hard—especially not having blue as an option—but also really cool to think about as I tried to mix what I did have to make “greens”, “purples”, and “blues”. For example, normally blue + yellow = green. But since we weren’t allowed to use blue, I had to think in terms of temperature—so I ended up using black as my replacement for blue because they are both “cool” colors. Black + white + yellow = murky green.
“Where Two or Three are Gathered” Dec 2022
This charcoal piece was a study on drapery. I didn’t think I’d enjoy learning how to draw drapery, but I really enjoyed the process and the beautiful forms. It felt spiritual. Didn’t expect that either. The drapery itself started to take on spiritual meaning for me. It feels like Jesus Christ is embodied in the drapery. It feels reverent, sacred, and holy. In the process, I was reminded of two scriptures.
Matthew 18: 20, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
And 2 Corinthians 13:1, “in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.” (Matthew 18: 16 also says this).
“Hope” Nov 2022
A fun little group project where we explored the world of 1-minute performance sculptures/time-based art. Seriously, go google “1-minute sculptures”. The possibilities are endless! For ours, we booked a session at the on-campus greenhouse and became one with the plants. Here you see our fingers as young seedlings sprouting and growing, with the hope that someday they will reach their full potential.
I see it as a commentary on society at large, and what socioeconomic factors are at play that allow “seedlings” to thrive or wither away. The seed itself possesses no problems—but its nourishment, the weather, its environment—they all contribute to its success or failure. As a gardener myself, I also know that some seeds have different requirements for success. Some require more time to sprout, some are more tolerant of overwatering, some require more TLC (like lavender), etc. But there’s nothing faulty in the seed itself. Environmental factors also play a role. For example, if the tender roots run out of space in their small compartments then they become root bound and have a difficult time adjusting to their new environment when transplanted—most of the time they don’t make it. Of course we know the results of not watering enough or too much, and temperatures being on either extreme.
The same can be said of children and youth across the nation. Do some children require speech therapy, extra math tutoring, ramps for children on wheelchairs, English as a second language, or even just a friend? Needing any of these services does not mean that these children are faulty! The fact is: every child is different! They each possess individual abilities and will grow up to be what they’re meant to be! Imagine if gardeners only planted tomatoes! Tomatoes are great, but they taste even better alongside onions, cilantro, limes, and avocado—am I right, or am I right?
But let’s also consider the environment children are growing up in. Do they have a parent at home to greet them after school and help them with their homework? Do they come from a single-parent household, a multi-generation household, or a 2-parent household? Do they have food to eat at home every day? Do their guardians have a 4-year college degree? What is their screen-time? Is their daily food intake healthy? Are they a minority in their area? Do they experience racism? Do they live in a safe neighborhood? Do their guardians drink or do drugs? Is there abuse in the home? All these factors, and more, affect a child’s happiness, growth, and success in life. And let me be clear: children can grow and thrive in various “environments” and even overcome huge obstacles, but some factors really can stunt growth or even be detrimental to children and youth.
I have always been interested this topic. In fact, during my senior year from my first degree, I delved deep into research searching for that magic formula of what factors are the most essential for a child to have in order to reach high academic success. Long story short: the single-most important factor to a child’s academic success in the United States was the involvement of a parent in their child’s academic life. Rich or poor, rural community or inner city, public school, private school, or homeschool—none of that mattered nearly as much as being an involved parent! So if you’re a parent that is overly anxious about your child’s academic success, just know that the best thing you can do is be engaged in your child’s learning—help them prep for tomorrow’s quiz, read books with them, help them with their homework, go to their school play, take them to their band practice, go to parent-teacher conferences, help them study for the ACT, prepare a healthy lunch for them, believe in them more than they believe in themselves, go watch them play at their school football game, encourage them after a bad day, tell them they are smart.
“Retired” Nov 2022
This was a still life study on shading. To be honest, I didn’t find the still life I was assigned very interesting. I didn’t find the objects interesting, and I wasn’t in love with the composition—or layout—that each object was positioned in. Still lifes in general aren’t super exciting unless you compose it yourself and make all of the creative and symbolic decisions. But because I didn’t have that creative freedom, for the majority of this piece I was absolutely bored out of my mind. The only thing that kept me going were podcasts and music.
However, towards the last couple hours of this assignment, the more I pondered the objects, the more a story was taking shape in my mind. To me, it started to feel like the old bowling pin was like an old retired man who has been knocked down a few times, always to sit back up for another round at whatever life threw its way, and who then decided to retire on a nice sandy beach somewhere in Florida. Cause…why not?
Whoever arranged this still life composition probably didn’t have a meaning behind it other than creating a scene with interesting folds, contrasting shapes and sizes, and incorporating lights and darks. But I’m a storyteller. I need a purpose, a message, a question, a riddle, a story! So that’s what I came up with. How do you read this still life composition? What story do you see in it?
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
“Past, Present, & Future” Oct 2022
Originally from San Diego, I never questioned my identity—life was just…normal—but when we made the move to Utah, I distinctly remember noticing my physical differences for the first time in my life. I had never thought about the color of my skin, or anyone else’s for that matter, until I attended a school assembly and saw what felt like a sea of blonde heads, blue eyes, and pink noses. So for the rest of my public school career all I wanted to do was to blend in with the crowd and be as un-Mexican as I could.
College was good for me though. I felt free to explore who I was and get reacquainted with my Mexican heritage. Since then, that momentum has continued to snowball. And, the older I get, the more I value and realize the responsibility I have to prize and protect my cultural heritage.
The concept for this project began by asking myself “how do I protect the mantle that has been handed down to me?” The answer is: by wearing it. In other words, I can protect what I’ve been given by preserving traditions, family history, language, and family recipes throughout my life so that I can then pass that mantle on to my children.
This responsibility is equal to royal mantles that are bestowed and worn ceremoniously by a royal king or queen at their coronation—which is symbolic of their duty to their kingdom and the continuation of their lineage. This is why I have decided to sew a mantle.
You’ll notice dried peppers cover the exterior of the mantle—symbolic of “preserving” my cultural inheritance. The process of drying peppers in this manner allows for future consumption and use of the peppers so they can be enjoyed later on. Additionally, each pepper was sewed one-by-one, symbolic of the natural procession of each person who lived before me, chronologically like a timeline until it reaches me, and someday, my children. The type of pepper used is also significant; the pepper of choice is Chile Colorado, which is the most common pepper in the region of Mexico my mother is from.
The inside lining of the mantle depicts a repeating pattern of golden tree branches extending in all directions, a literal reference to my family tree. So when I wear this mantle, I am symbolically connected to my ancestors. What a beautiful and comforting thought that is to me—to think of not only my personal duty and responsibility to preserve what they’ve handed down to me, but to also feel their collective love and protection every time I wear the mantle.
“Mom Shoes” Oct 2022
Moms wear many hats, or so the saying goes. But honestly, I think shoes do a better job of showcasing what moms do on the daily. So here I have shoes hanging on a hat rack as a play on the saying.
All moms are different. On my hat rack I have on display my work/gardening boots, comfy everyday sandals, high heels for special occasions, artsy school shoes, and my church shoes. *You’ll also notice a ghost shoe at the very bottom…my running shoes. Let’s just say I try to exercise, but let’s be honest, with everything I’m juggling on a daily basis, I rarely get the opportunity to go on a run.
“Made in China (Designed by Gidianny in the US)” Sept 2022
It was the summer of 2006, when I stepped foot in China for the first time. As our group ventured out of the airport, a strange sight greeted us: a green sun. Eventually I came to the conclusion that yes, the sun was in fact green. And the grey sky—that wasn’t fog, it was pollution. The pollution was so dense that it was safe to stare directly at the sun. The green sun.
Five years later, I returned to Beijing and called it home for roughly a year. That’s when I learned that the worst pollution there comes as winter settles. Because Beijing is situated in a valley, all the pollution gets trapped inside it. I remember walking outside on my way to the metro and not being able to see more than five feet ahead of me. This was a common occurrence.
It’s easy to make assumptions and point fingers at China. “Their problem, their fault.” That rhetoric has been sung loudly for decades by western news media outlets. No one ever thinks about their own contribution to a problem that appears to be someone else’s.
To quote scripture, “...Why is it that thou beholds the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considers not the beam that is in thine own eye?”
Are we not China’s biggest customer?
This is what is meant by the everyday items I have purchased over the years that have been organized and displayed atop a map of Beijing. I gathered everything in and around my house that was “Made In China”; from hygiene, to toys, to single-use plastic, to electronics. (Side note: I think Apple’s slogan says it best, “Designed by Apple in California, Made in China”).
At first glance, the array of seemingly random objects are colorful, cheerful, innocent, and even endearing.
But because this artwork is also part performative, I then commenced to spray paint all these objects black—to mimic the black coat of pollution. This act was symbolic. In the act of coating everything in “pollution”, I figuratively took accountability for my personal actions and role in contributing to the viscous cycle of supply and demand. In other words: I have been part of the problem.
At the center of this piece is a small gold picture frame angled over the reflective mirror of an old iPhone. My hope is that we can all look into that frame and reflect on our own contributions to pollution and climate change—even if we don’t feel the effects of it. Perhaps this could be a catalyst to awareness and potentially better habits. I know it has for me.
“Non-Violence” Sept 2022
This is a nod to Carl Fredrik Reutersward’s knotted gun sculpture. Using my favorite hot glue gun as my reference object, I created this exploded-view perspective drawing. Though I don’t own a gun in the traditional sense of the word, but I have always possessed a hot glue gun in my creative arsenal! Let’s stop the violence and let’s start creating!
Drawing in perspective is HARD. Tears were shed over this assignment.
“Gorra Meada (Lost & Found)” Sept 2022
Funny story. I lost my favorite hat—lovingly referred to as “tu gorra meada” by my mom, which translates to “your pissed hat”. I had worn my favorite beige bucket hat every day for probably a couple years, which created sweat stains… But I kept wearing it.
It was comfy and fit my head perfectly, but the real reason for wearing it was to hide. Like many 13 year old girls, I was self-conscious and insecure. My hat helped me disappear and get rid of a lot of anxiety. Here I have recreated my bucket hat out of watercolor paper that has been sewed, soaked, and watercolored. However, I did take artistic license to exaggerate its size by making the brim much bigger than it was in real life to emphasize the purpose it served—to hide myself.
Then one morning I couldn’t find my hat. I always suspected my mom throwing it away (since she obviously hated it), but she denies she ever did. I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt.
No other hat could compare to that perfect ugly hat. Other hats would draw too much unwanted attention. So I began the terrible journey of making eye-contact with people, showing my face, and being noticed a little more. And it wasn’t so bad after all. Losing my gorra meada turned out to be a good thing. I was forced to face my anxieties head-on—without my hat.
The bust is made out of toilet paper, cardboard for structure, joint compound, and gesso for smoothing. The swallows symbolize the coming of positive change after leaving your comfort zone. Swallows are also known for their weak legs—a testament to how much time they spend up in the sky.
The hat was weighing me down, keeping me comfortable, but limiting my growth. I lost my hat, but found myself a pair of wings.
“Mom’s Quiet Time” Sept 2022
This piece was done in ballpoint pen and was a lesson on crosshatching.
People are constantly asking me where I find the time to do art when I’m so busy with motherhood. I don’t really like that question, but this piece is my answer. I make art when my kids are asleep.
I love raising my family together with my husband, but when 8 o’clock rolls by I know it’s finally “me time”. Anyone who is a mother knows how mentally and emotionally draining it can be. We all have our ways of recharging, and this is my way of doing that. At 8pm I bring out my sketching stuff, put on my earbuds, turn on a podcast, and sketch. Every once in a while I’ll then look over my shoulder and see the beautiful “mess” my kids have made throughout the day. Just a few hours before, that same mess would have been irritating and stressful, but then I’m reminded that someday I’ll miss it, and it becomes precious to me.
“Letter to Myself (A Self Portrait)” Aug 2022
This, is me. When I was deeply acquainted with depression.
Depression creates giant swells of emotions—depicted here in these organic waves, made mainly out of rehydrated Chile Colorado dried peppers, toilet paper, and drywall joint compound. Chile Colorado is the most commonly used pepper of the Sonoran Desert region of Mexico—where my family is from. I find it appropriate to use this hardy pepper that can withstand the harsh living conditions of a desert “wasteland”—where the sun endlessly scorches the ground, leaving it vulnerable, lifeless, and brittle. Like the Chile Colorado, I too can be strong and withstand the unrelenting scorches of depression.
My days of depression became weeks, months, and years. Soon I forgot what it felt like to be me. I was no longer me, I was my depression. However, we’re never really gone—underneath all the swells lies a little hidden hub of life, still hanging on. This is what is meant by the gold leaf peach pit suspended within the moss-filled crevice. I want this portion of my piece to breathe—to have a beating heart. A gentle reminder that you are not your depression. Though a peach pit has been stripped away of its beautiful colors and sweet flesh, it hasn’t lost its value—for it still holds within itself the promise of life. At its core, the peach pit holds the ability to rebuild life through becoming a tree that creates even more peaches. It’s a reminder that you are worthy, enough, valuable, and full of promise and potential. To the 2019 version of me: Depression might be your present, but it is not your future. You still have a future worth surviving for.
“Untitled (Kitchen Still Life)” Aug 2022
My first technical drawing assignment. This was a practice on foundational skills: form and shape—and how they change relative to our eye-level.
The assignment required 8 random objects from around our surroundings and draw the outline of each object while also showing the basic shapes that make up the object.
Personally, I found the ladle and the pestle and mortar the most weirdly satisfying objects to work on. And although the candle jar looks so simple, it was actually driving me nuts because I couldn’t get the cone (the wick mound) right! Apparently, the wider the cone, the harder it is to get right. I’m the most proud of my measuring cups though; it took a lot of time and felt like I was doing the art equivalent of math equations.
