My art is a union of many different variables. Some of these variables include: Where I grew up: Tucson, Arizona. With whom I was raised: My Anglo mother. How I was raised: Christian. Who my father is: A Full-Blood Navajo, who believes in tradition, however is stuck in this urban life. Why I love texture so much: When I was growing up, my mother was an interpreter for the deaf and she would often work at the Deaf and Blind school in Tucson. During my visits there I learned how important touch was. For example, a person without the gift of sight depends on their hands and fingers to do much of the seeing for them. It is their fingertips that read the Braille, and their hands that touch the face of the person with whom they are communicating. Quite literally; the blind do not see, they feel. I want the viewer to feel the deliberateness of the texture in my paintings. Why I use text: The written word and mark making are two basic ways to communicate. My goal is to have the viewer respond or relate to my paintings. Accomplishing this means that I have communicated using nothing but marks. Additionally, words have the strange duality of being something we use everyday and ancient at the same time. When painting, I think of a word long forgotten; "palimpsest", which means, having the quality of being rubbed away and written on over and over again. Using layer upon layer of information. In early times, this would happen because of the great scarcity of writing materials. (What an odd thought today.) Lastly, why I am obsessed with the unseen: I find it so strange that a person, (or in my case, my dog, Tony), could become so sick and actually die because of something that can be seen only under a microscope. We live in a world where, "I'll believe it when I see it", is more of an attitude and a belief system than just figure of speech. Speaking both scientifically and spiritually, I would like to convey the opposing idea, "Just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it's not there". If I can create an environment that tells a story, myth, or legend, using my own iconography, perhaps I'm close.

All of these variables come together to help me create paintings that ask questions and seek answers. I am excited to learn as much as I can about my art and to respond to my questions with art.

I have exhibited my work at The Institute of American Indian Arts Museum of Contemporary Indian Art, The Albert Romero Gallery, Marcy Street Coffee Gallery, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I was an Invited Artist for the 1999 Faculty, Staff and Selected Artists show at the Poeh Center in Pojoaque, New Mexico. In Chicago I have shown my work at Gallery 2 on two seperate occasions. Seattle shows include, La Familia Gallery, Secluded Alley Works, Forgotten Works, Pratt Fine Arts 2004 auction, Joe Bar, and Marcus's Martini Heaven. Finally, I was chosen as one of five "Emerging Native American Artists" to show in the Nevada State Capitol building in 2005.