YCL Art

18"x36" mixed media on canvas

We would often ride our bikes to Lake Pontchartrain to go crabbing and fishing. There were a lot of swampy areas around the lake that made the crabbing part really easy. Just tie a chicken leg to the bottom of a crab basket, let it sit for a few minutes and before you knew it, crabs were flocking to get in on the feast.

So, I’ve been asked many times what the story is behind this painting. Is it about my dog’s love for crabs? or maybe it’s about the crab’s love for my dog? Well, this is how this encounter went down. The day started out like any other day at the lake. We set up shop, dropped the baskets, cast our fishing lines, and just waited. The dog came and sat in the shallow water and watched, then out of nowhere, he started crying, whimpering. and running in circles. We couldn’t figure out what was wrong, we check his ears, his paws, his nose, his tail, until finally he dropped on his back and showed us his belly… then it all became clear. It seems a baby crab thought my dog would make a tasty treat and latched on to the dog’s “sensitive” area. It was not a pleasant experience for either one, but the situation was addressed, no permanent damage was noted, and the dog learned a very valuable lesson about sitting in shallow swamp water.

Painting available for purchase on eBay till August 02, 2010

"An Icee & a Slim Jim" 12"x36" acrylic on canvas 2005

My dad wasn’t around much when I was growing up, but that didn’t stop him from being the best dad he knew how to be. He called often, sent greeting cards for every occasion, and later in his life, I found out he always carried pictures of me and my sister  wherever he went. Of course, these are all things that weren’t appreciated to the fullest extent until later in my life.

One of my most fondest memories was when he took us to a supermarket named Schwegmann’s. There he would take us to the cafe area where he would buy us an Icee and a Slim Jim, happiness was so simple and inexpensive back then. It’s those small thoughtful moments that made time with my dad so special.

Five years ago I made & brought this painting to him in Colombia as a Father’s Day gift. It’s been 3 years now since he passed away and I find myself often remembering those final moments we had together, especially around Father’s Day…

"The Box" 5"x5" mixed media on wood, part of Imagination Squared Project

So, I thought long and hard about what to put on my “square” for the Imagination Squared Project. After much deliberation, I decided to go with my refrigerator box memory. Most of us have a similar experience, someone shows up with a giant box, the next thing you know it’s been turned into a “house” or maybe a “fort.” In this particular depiction,  the box was turned into a sort of “ride.”

My sister and I would get a couple of neighborhood kids to help out as we got in the box with the family dog. After we were nice and comfortable, the flaps were closed and that’s when the real fun began. The kids on the outside had the simple but important job of rolling the box down the driveway. Not only was this dangerous, but it was so much fun. I still have no idea how we all survived with only minor bumps and bruises and I know that if the humane society were to find out the dog was involved in this insanity then, he may of been confiscated but, in our defense,  he seemed to enjoy it.

Mis Novios (aka My Boyfriends) 30"x40" acrylic on canvas

Growing up, my mom had an in-home daycare. Ashton & Eric happen to be 2 of the first children she cared for. We were all about the same age, between 4-5 years old, so we spent a lot of time together playing, running, jumping, exploring etc.. After a while, both Ashton and Eric fell head over heels in love with me and they would often fight over who loved me more. I don’t remember much of the details of these fights, but my mom tells me that they got pretty heated. Luckily, the fighting has subsided and we are still friends to this day