Artist Statement: A collagraph is an original collage made of a wide variety of materials, textured paper, lace, metal objects, salt. They are assembled on a mat board matrix. The collage is sealed with a waterproof varnish, inked, hand-wiped and pulled on an etching press. The black-lined, embossed print is then hand-colored with procion dyes. The dye becomes a part of the museum-quality print paper.

I love roaming the streets of the Bay Area, mostly taking buses. I love to look at the architecture and the people, which change from street to street. I try to imagine what the people in the houses might be like or what would go on in that neighborhood.

Art has been my life. I have worked as a book designer and illustrator for a number of prominent publishers, illustrating Spanish language and African-American children’s books. I always try to portray the people and situations in a positive manner. I work with children as an art consultant and get many inspirations from the things the children tell me about themselves and their parents that relate to their home and social lives. I use this information to create my art.

[On Welcome Home:] I built this house, piece by piece, as an architect would.