Women without Borders Exhibit, Austin

"To thine own be true" one of two of my pieces in the Women without Borders Exhibit

March 5 - April 3, 2010

La Peña presents “Women without Borders” from March 5th – April 3rd at its gallery in Downtown Austin at 227 Congress Avenue. This group art show of women artists is being done in honor of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month. The reception will take place on Friday, March 12th from 6:00 – 8:00 pm.

International Women’s day is a global celebration that takes place on March 8th every year. It was first observed the early 1900s to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women. Then in 1987 the United States designated March as Women’s History Month. La Peña honors these events with an annual group show of women artists. These women use their artwork to represent, share, and preserve their cultural heritage, share their personal stories and perspectives on the world, and even use it as a platform to speak out on issues that are important to them.

“Women without Borders” features many emerging and established artists who come from places including Monterrey and Coahuila, Mexico, South Texas, and the Rio Grande Valley:

Santa Barraza
Monica Ceniceros
April Garcia
Nivia Gonzalez
Celina Hinojosa
Denise Molina
Adriana Perez
Vanessa Ramos
Sarita Sanchez
Ana Vazquez
Sabrina Zarco

Feliz Cumpleanos aka Happy New Year Beloved!

beautiful colors of homemade salsa before....

February is always filled with thoughts of love and loved ones for me. I have several Beloveds who have their personal New Year aka birthday this month. So I celebrate them individually, publicly here, and with a feast, music, prayers, and unending love. Happy Birthday, Feliz Cumpleanos, Happy Personal New Year!

My Beloved I pray for you that you may find continued peace and love and joy on this journey. I pray for your health in the Spirit and the physical. I send love and prayers honoring you and celebrate what gifts you have brought to my life. I am away from you in miles but not in my heart. I honor you and ask Creator to guide your path as you begin anew. Have fun! Celebrate the new adventures that lay before you. They are listed in order of bday not importance...they all rock my world!

B for your service to this country, I pray for your Spiritual, emotional, and physical health. You have given me the reminder that art heals as you encouraged me and held me as I lost my way. You always remind me to smile and to be wild like our Milagro. Have a blessed New Year and thank you for being a part of my life.

L for ten years you have unselfishly given your love and kindness to me. I treasure your honesty and love unconditional. Thank you for investing in my art and opening doors to new adventures. I pray that we will always hold each other dear as we travel this Earth School. I pray for your health, creativity, and that you will continue to share the love and joy. Many appreciate you and I am always honored to have you as part of my life.

My sister L I pray for your New Year and wish you blessings as I do each year. We have grown up together and grown apart in miles but we will always be sisters and I love you.

LJ I pray your New Year will be filled with joy as you spread your wings even further and fly into all of who you are and will be. Thank you for reminding me that Creator is in charge and that I too must always be true to myself no matter what others say or do. I admire your bravery and pray for good health, clear vision, more writing and love.

And for all of you who have a beloved bday to celebrate I dance with you too!

Homemade is best!

Bread of life....sweet aka pan dulce

Feliz Dia del Amor y Amistad

Feliz Dia del Amor y Amistad / Happy Day of Love and Friendship
aka Happy Valentine's Day!

Gifts from my Valentine! Puro Tejana style.

Snow Mariachi

Another snow day here in Little Rock . My beautiful nieces made their version of a snow man they call Pancho. I am really happy to see this unique snowman, not only the great art but it lets me know that the girls are confident in their culture. Its an unspoken message that says they can proudly claim all of who they are in all that they do and not have to hide it. I celebrate the snow art but also what it says to me about the strong Latina women they are becoming and their great parents!


Lots of snow art going on here and work in my studio. This snowman speaks to the work in my studio right now. I am working on a piece for a racism show and its been an emotional journey. I struggled with how to show the pain of racism, in particular subtle racism but not appear as victim. The story of racism has a history and it's not about remaining victims but about acknowledging that it exists and making change.

I read a study that says women of color in the workplace suffer from more medical challenges, stress, heart disease, and hypertension because of the subtle racism. Its the subtle comments that we have to endure and look the other way otherwise we are labeled sensitive or too politically correct. But the reality is when something hurts it hurts intentional or not. Side note: Racism in the definition of this show and that I am speaking of is the broad term to include race and ethnicity. So this work is going to address the subtle words that wound the heart. Pictures on this to follow later but such is the artist life, the art is to be kept under wraps until the show.

Things are moving along with such peace in my Spirit and a knowing that I am on the right path. The haters can do their thing I am following my path and doors are opening. The Universe is good, when you let go of the ugly it makes room for the beautiful to come in.

bird snow art

Toma Mi Corazon 18yrs in Austin

Here is my donation con carino to my Beloved Austin La Pena Gallery. Gracias to Cynthia for all she does to preserve and promote Latino art! It is the 18th year of Toma Mi Corazon Art Exhibit and Silent Auction Fundraiser, Saturday, February 6, 2010. If you are in Tejas check out the event and the gallery.   http://www.lapena-austin.org/english/events/tomaxviii.html
Buena suerte for a great event!

let it go

As Venus enters Aquarius and forms significant angles with Saturn and Mars; the planets are aligned for love and romance. So maybe that’s the reason for what is going on lately as a side note rerun in my life. My spirit is struggling and I need to examine a pattern that is surfacing and maybe I just need to rant as part of my cleansing. I’m trying to understand but I keep coming up with the same answer so maybe it’s not me. I always try to consider myself first in situations as any good Aspie would do. Note: "Aspie" a term of endearment used to refer to my Asperger's Syndrome aka high functioning autism aka non neruotypical aka, you get the picture.

My understanding is that when a relationship ends in a break up that means its over. It is no longer working; broken. There is a reason you are no longer together. You get together because of circumstance, interest, sharing lessons to be learned and so on. Then when the experiences have brought you all you can learn its time to move on, well that’s how it was for me. Always with the call of the wolf to move on even in the beginning but when it’s done it’s done. I am not one to go back on my journey. I sometimes look back over my shoulder recheck the lessons heal the hurt, celebrate the good, and move on to learn again.


For some reason a few of the people from my past (hereafter known as they) would like me to answer their expectation that I somehow owe them something years later. I get its not about me it’s about them but after so many times a girl has just gotta let out a rant. So here goes…I don’t get how they think they have an impact or say in my life choices and decisions today. How dare I try to move on in a positive way with my life and not consult them on how that should be done. How I am supposed to submit for approval any art I create or training I do because they somehow feel ownership. I don’t get how according to their way of thinking I am supposed to not do, say, wear, live or enjoy anything that might have in any way what so ever been a part of one of my past relationships part of me and who I am. They somehow perceive some items, discussions, or ideas as belonging to them and I had no clue. How those things shared at one time were somehow forever marked and I should put away my life and choices because they feel it or I somehow belong to them. I don’t think you really know me now anyway because I am ever changing and not the same as when we first met. Its only your illusion of who you think I should be or imagined me to be that you still cling to.

The reality is we do not own people and shared experiences of our past are just that, shared and we each get to keep our own. They help to shape who we are today good or bad it just is what happened. As an Aspie I am challenged in conventional ways of social communication but I do try to make things clear. And I’m not saying I didn’t share some good experiences of joy and love with others and I honor those memories (in my own way not how you think I should) but it’s over, it’s been over. We parted ways and it really is done.

In some cases we are friends because they have chosen as I have to respect boundaries. In other cases I don’t think they have a clue what a boundary is so we are not friends. When you speak harshly about me in community, use hurtful words in writing and make assumptions about me and my life you are not in a place of love, don’t fool yourself. You are still lost in your own pain or anger to see clearly. My words to you are let go and move on you are not in a place to befriend me. I wish you well.


As for me I have come to rest in the wolfs cry and am in the most peaceful loving respectful place I have ever been in my life. I wish you clear paths and thanks for allowing me to let it go.

ice and snow

 Ice waterfalls along TN highways

Snow covered roads in the mountains.