The Letters, a harbinger is the beginning of a larger series titled The Letters. All of the paintings in the series reference the letters written to me from my father before his death of AIDS in 1991. After 8 years of being estranged from one another I found him, with the help of my grandmother, Nan. It was important that our reunion remain secret. I would call him and he would write back.

They hold the stories of a man who, at the age of 42, left his life in Texas in order to be true to himself. He details growing up, being cognizant of his homosexuality, his difficult relationship with his parents, leaving his marriage and finally fleeing to Key West in the mid- 8o's. Full of savvy, they continue to guide and inspire me. He relays his journey, hoping that I will trust and follow my heart and not what society expects of my gender or person.

The paintings became a visual translation of what the letters have provided me over the years; comfort, confidence and empowerment. In this painting I captured the beginning stages for what the letters were to become. I made copies of the originals, coffee dyed them in order to establish their some 30 years of age and sewed them to panels. After which I hand embroidered them together.

The Letters series explores the letters as objects of comfort, confidence and empowerment: a quilt, Closing the Gaps,; a wedding dress, Father Daughter Dance; a super hero cape, My Super Hero Cape, The Journey Forward.