At this stage in my life and career, this fellowship will affirm that creativity has no expiration date — and that the work still ahead of me holds meaning not only for myself, but also for those who find inspiration in it.

After a decade as a legal secretary in Arizona, I returned to my birthplace of Santa Fe in my early thirties. Surrounded once again by the vibrant artistic community where my parents — renowned traditional tinsmiths — first sparked my creative spirit, I began my life’s true journey as an artist. Now, fifty years later, I am proud to be at the helm of a long, evolving, and joyful career.

As a painter and woodcarver deeply rooted in the Hispanic culture of Northern New Mexico, I have had the rare privilege of reinterpreting historic traditions and breathing new life into them for contemporary audiences. Over five decades, I feel I have opened artistic, educational, and social doors for other women to walk through — something I cherish as one of my greatest accomplishments. Notably, I received commissions from archbishops and priests to create monumental altar screens and Stations of the Cross for historic churches in El Rito, Ojo Caliente, Espanola, Arroyo Seco, churches in Pueblo CO, and in Santa Fe at St. Francis Cathedral Basilica, where the works remain in situ today — a feat no other artist has matched.

As my contemporary works found their voice, I held solo exhibitions at major Southwest galleries including PeytonWright Gallery in Santa Fe while also participating in the nationally recognized Spanish Market in Santa Fe for over forty-five consecutive years. Each creation has been a labor of devotion, offering joy and connection to my community and to the thousands of visitors who encounter my work.

As a female artist of Hispanic descent, my journey has been one of resilience, adaptability, and the continual reinvention of both self and craft. Every day, I step into my studio with deep gratitude, eager to carve, to paint, and to answer the creative call that has sustained me through all seasons of life. My art remains my salvation — a wellspring of renewal, hope, and meaning.

Selected Works