Costa Rican born and raised, I now live in Canada and am based in Toronto. I am drawn to working with yarn, thread, fabric, clay and paint because these materials are comforting to me. The canvas is a safe place for me to play with and explore traditional craft and painting techniques in a contemporary manner. I create intimate paintings that explore mark making one stitch or one brushstroke at a time. Self taught as a painter and formally educated in Material Arts at OCAD University and Gerontology at George Brown College, I draw on my technical knowledge as a craftsperson and artist, as well as my experiences and observations as a healthcare worker, to explore what it means to be human.
I create my embroidery paintings in my quiet home studio in the beaches neighbourhood in Toronto. My studio contains books on gerontology and art, a sea glass that collection captures sunlight and a baseball signed with endearing messages by an older adult living in a long term care home to remind me of my community. I surround myself with large stashes of art and craft supplies so that I am ready to play when inspiration strikes. I often have a fantasy audiobook playing in the background to keep my adventurous energy flowing, or an uplifting album playing on my record player to set the mood. I jump from music genre to music genre, providing the fuel my inner child and creative self are yearning for. My studio is a sacred and safe space for me to relax, reflect and heal. The results of this act of self care are contemporary embroidery paintings that are colourful and comforting.