UPLIFT & PROTECT

This is a theater curtain design I submitted a few months ago for a theater in Los Angeles. My design wasn’t selected, but it opened my creativity, and it helped me discover the purpose for my art. This was just the starting point of what was to come. Final design shown below.

The following is the art statement I submitted along with the artwork:

Inspiration, meaning and symbolism

My design is called Uplift & Protect. It is an allegory on the importance of reciprocal support. In this case, I am showcasing two women because I identify with femininity as I am a woman myself, and because I believe that having women come together for any cause is very powerful. Women give life and nurture. I chose two  African American women because the Vision Theater serves mainly the African American community. 

With this piece my aim is to cultivate love and collaboration not only amongst women, but amongst people from all walks of life. We all come together to enjoy the performing arts and this image will serve as inspiration for everybody. 

I am also contrasting  the diversity in African American women. Black women, just like the rest of women, have different hair styles. I’m using this element as a symbol of diversity and empowerment. The lady being lifted has hair that is like an umbrella/clouds or anything that can protect the lady sitting down. The lady sitting down provides support for the other to shine. It’s reciprocal, we all need one another.

I was also inspired by the art deco style of the theater. Often in the history of art deco, we find silhouettes and/or outlined bodies. In addition, geometrical shapes are present in this movement like the ones I added to the sides and across the teaser which is resemblant of the motif around the name of the featured performance in the exterior of the theater.

Final Design

Uplift & Protect

Working. on this piece for a little longer than required has helped me discover a more diverse color palette and the addition of words which is something I’ve been wanting to incorporate in my fine art. Hope you find this piece inspiring and warming to your soul.

The more the merrier - Christmas Card Design

It’s needless to say that 2020 has been a year charged with (new favorite word…not!) unprecedented events. However, sometimes these are the events that are the source of our inspiration.

I received an Instagram message from my friend Valerie Schneider in early October telling me about this interesting holiday card idea that came to her, but given the fact that she’s neither a designer or an artist, didn’t know how to go about the execution, so she thought to run it by me.

Some of the most media covered news this year centered around social justice and police brutality. I, myself, had been struggling with how to convey my own feelings about all of this in a way that was peaceful and communicated love to all. So, as soon as Valerie described her vision to me I was completely drawn to it. She wanted to see hands in all skin tones that were united, maybe in the shape of a wreath? Maybe around an illustrated globe? And she already had a literal message to give: “The More, The Merrier”. I thought, this girl is onto something! In these times, when people and society are so divided, a message of love and unity and the notion that we’re all essentially the same, is exactly what we need this holiday season. I was so inspired that I began to search for similar concepts online, and started sketching possible mockups.

I couldn’t find a perfectly round image of hands forming a wreath, but I used whatever I found as a reference to draw my perfect circle with pencil on paper. Then, I digitized it in Adobe Illustrator where I added wreath leaves and some tiny ornaments. I also played around with letter styles, and both, Valerie and I agreed that a font (Malisia Script Font) will make it look sweeter and more holiday appropriate.

Collaborating with a friend on this holiday card has been a great experience. I fell in love with the project because its message and purpose aligned so well with mine, not just as a holiday message, but also as my whole reason to make art.

Around late November-early December, this rampant virus had managed to make its second wave even worse than the first. I found myself stuck with a message that was encouraging people to get together! What were we thinking??? After brainstorming some possible personal messages to write on the back, I came up with “Wishing we can be more and merrier very soon” which is ultimately what we all want. I don’t know if things will ever go back to normal, maybe things should not. But what we do want is the freedom we had before this virus took over our plans and dreams.

My other wish is that this little card puts a smile on your face and that you can feel the love Valerie and I put into making it.

Preliminary mockups

SEED CYCLING

What started as a simple graphic to help me remember some information has become a work of art that I’d like to share with as many women as possible.

Seed Cycling is a simple tool using a ‘food as medicine’ principle to help regulate your hormones. This super easy technique includes rotating various seeds into your diet which help the female body to naturally re-balance our levels of estrogen and progesterone. When a woman consumes these different types of seeds (usually flax, pumpkin. sesame or sunflower) during the two different phases of her menstrual cycle (follicular and luteal phase), she can gently help correct underlying hormonal imbalances. If you have a very irregular cycle, you can use the phases of the moon as your guide. I’d like to thank Dr. Laurie Terzo for sharing this info, and for shining a light on my health, and the health of many women.

Recipe: Mix 1 tablespoon of each seed according to cycle and grind until it becomes a powder. Add mixture to salad/smoothie/oatmeal once a day.