My parents are people who model an unerring work ethic. My mom immigrated from Korea as a young girl and went on to serve in the Marines until she decided to leave to follow her dreams of opening a dance studio. My childhood was spent going to work with her day and night.  My dad was born in Paraguay, moved to America at thirteen to attend school and work to support relatives who stayed behind. Eventually he was able to buy a truck and start his own landscaping business that he labors at to this day. I learned early the commitment, drive, sacrifice, and rewards of a life of work.

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My art focuses on themes of labor and collaboration. I think about how for most of us, working is non-negotiable for survival, yet through team effort it is made easier, even beautiful. I aim to express the utility and quiet joy in labor because in this time, when the things we do are far less tangible and the connections between people much more distanced, it seems urgent to note.

 

My recent work, large-scale relief and intaglio prints and fabric pieces, use the subject of car racing as a metaphor for the overt or subtle outcomes of labor. I like that each mark–tire impression, footprint, logo on uniform–made by a person or thing, intentional or inadvertent, is similar to the way that printmaking matrices archive their own story.  I admire the intensive behind-the-scenes practices that race teams put in to prepare for race days. This parallels the time I spend preparing a copper plate or carving a linoleum block. Racing is a fast-paced sport, because of this many fleeting moments often go unseen. Printmaking is my way of freezing these moments; allowing people to appreciate their meaning in relation to a bigger construct of the value of work today.