As someone deeply invested in building Austin’s creative community, I often champion other artists and sometimes forget about giving myself a little of the same juice. This year, I’ve made it a goal to step outside my comfort zone, share my creative practice more openly, and connect with others and myself through the process.
This journey led me to apply for a group show this past February, dedicated to celebrating the memory, imagination, and presence of Black and Brown Austin. I’m honored to be among the selected artists and have been immersed in creating a new piece, More than a hundred tender pages. This site-specific collage invites viewers to experience how personal and collective histories intertwine—showcasing adaptation, resilience, and memory, even as the landscape of Austin transforms.
This site-specific installation layers memory through family photos from the Quintanilla family (my maternal lineage), found materials, and brushstrokes echoing my body's contours. Inspired by the natural and built environments that have shaped my family’s experience along Rainey Street and Town Lake, its creation became an exercise in processing personal history while reflecting on the resilience of water’s flow, open grassy fields, and enduring stone—set in contrast to the hard geometry of skyscrapers that now press into this once-familiar landscape.
This work is both archive and embrace: a tribute to the supple strength required to carry our stories forward.
Curated by Jay Ybarra and Shania Montúfar, ECHOES ATX is a two-week, multimedia exhibition centering the stories, struggles, and brilliance of Austin’s Black and Brown communities. From May 24 to June 6, join us for a pop-up gallery in a converted warehouse, featuring murals, music, archival ephemera, storytelling, and wearable art.
I’m honored to share space with such a talented and inspiring group of artists, including —
MIL GRACIAS to Jay Ybarra and Shania Montúfar for your steadfast belief in connecting the stories, identities, and cultural shifts within Austin’s BIPOC communities. I hope the work inspires the next generation of Austin artists to be proud of their heritage and all the ways it shows up in their creative work.
ECHOES ATX: The Past, Present & Future of Black and Brown Austin is on view May 24 through June 6, 2025.