Arizona Biennial 2024

I was honored to have my painting Agua Caliente selected for the Arizona Biennial 2024 at the Tucson Museum of Art.

The Arizona Biennial is one of the state's premier juried exhibitions, bringing together contemporary artists from across Arizona. The exhibition featured an extraordinary range of work, much of it experimental, conceptual, and boldly contemporary. In fact, among the many installations, assemblages, and mixed-media works, only three paintings were included in the exhibition. It was a privilege to have Agua Caliente among them.

This photograph was taken at the opening reception, standing beside the painting.

The dress I am wearing carries a story of its own. Nearly forty years ago, my mother found it crumpled in the corner of an antique shop in the Canary Islands. She had it repaired, altered, and patched so that I could wear it. She told me it would last the rest of my life, and remarkably, it nearly has. Every time I put it on, I think of her.

Like much of my work, Agua Caliente began with direct observation and gradually became something more personal. Water has long fascinated me, not only as a landscape subject but as a place where memory, light, reflection, and emotion meet. Painted in Arizona, the work reflects my ongoing exploration of water as both a physical presence and a psychological space.

Being included in the Biennial was a meaningful milestone, and I am grateful to have shared the experience alongside so many talented artists from across the state.