I have been an artist who has always created statement pieces, whether to comment on the beauty or challenges this life presents us. In this piece I have done a deconstruction of sorts of Coronado's flag. I added a touch of brightness to it, adding different shades of green, with slight hints of yellow. To the middle white stripe, which I wanted to glisten, I added some pearlescent and sparking shades of white mica powders to a thin pouring medium. The names in the green stripes are some of Coronado's most prominent residents, and includes the Spanish Explorer who discovered the island, Sebastian Vizcaino.
In the middle of the flag is a crown made gold mirrored film, the words beside it, “There is a splendid majesty in all of us,” in Spanish. I want the gazer to see themselves reflected in the crown. Could they be like Gus Thompson, an an African American man who; along with his beloved wife Emma, came to the island in its earliest days. Gus and Emma would become its most successful Black residents. Maybe they’re the next Tina Weymouth, who would grow up to be one of the best bass guitar players in new wave and rock music, as a member of the seminal band The Talking Heads and later, the Tom Tom Club. They could even be a future PGA Latino America tour tournament winner, like Armando Favela. Or a mayor, like Casey Tanaka. There are numerous possibilities. Whether Coronado resident or someone just passing through, there is something for everyone in this piece that speaks to the heart and spirit.