Art

Undocumented

These are portraits of Latino undocumented immigrant workers. Originally, I began the series after painting a worker I had hired as a model. In this first portrait, I recognized the worker’s expression in a photograph of my grandfather, who was a sugar cane worker. I decided to start a series to give more visibility to the contributions of undocumented workers in this country. Through a journal I kept I realized that portraits with a studio background had the ability to transport the workers into a completely different class context. I believe it is this juxtaposition what may ultimately persuade the viewer to confront the undocumented worker’s humanity and individuality. Some of the workers came by word of mouth, and I recruited others around San Pablo. Finding women sitters was especially difficult. All of the workers were paid and treated like professional models. They signed a model release written in Spanish. They chose their pose, and posed an average of six hours in one or two sessions. The workers took breaks and were given lunch or snacks as appropriate. The sessions were long because most of the sitters could not return for a second session, so I usually started and finished in one day. I titled the paintings so I would not have to reveal their identities, even though several wanted to share their real names. They believed that an exhibit could increase their visibility in the present political climate.

Immigrant Neighborhoods

I am a part of the East Bay Landscape Painters group. We wanted to paint urban neighborhoods. If urban neighborhoods are seldom the source for landscape paintings, immigrant neighborhoods where immigrants live (particularly recent immigrants) get painted less, so it’s not a surprise they became our focus. It was definitely an exploration, as we set out to learn about some of these East Bay neighborhoods. Some of us painted the spaces where present-day immigrants live, while others painted the architecture that previous immigrants left behind. As we set out to paint what we were attracted to, we ended up with paintings of homes, streets and city parks, of landmarks and mobile homes. We were able to talk to the residents and passers-by, and they were wonderful and welcoming. This in itself was a valuable learning experience for us, and part of making art outdoors.

East Bay Parks

For more than three years, I have been painting East Bay parks. Many of the East Bay Regional Parks are the product of a struggle to preserve these lands for future generations and keep them off the hands of developers. I paint what's left of our East Bay marshes to bring attention to the fact that they are under attack, and to bring visibility to the efforts of communities all around the bay that are trying to preserve our watersheds.

In my more recent work, I visit these parks, some of which have spectacular views of the bay, but paint their parking lots. The contrast between our consumerist world and the raw beauty of the place is what drives me. I alternate between oil and acrylic, depending on the weather and other conditions, and vary the canvas size depending on how much time and energy I have available. I do not paint in a size smaller than 16 x 20." I generally spend about three hours on site, and then revise in my studio.

Urban East Bay

With this series, I look at the man-made structures that have defined some of our East Bay industries, and at some of the East bay's decaying infrastructure, as a symptom of a larger crisis. Some of those industries have disappeared because of a changing economy. Others survive after having laid off many of their workers. The cranes and bridges are still serving their purpose, but for how long before they are carted away in pieces? When I began painting full-time outdoors three years ago, I would have never dreamed of completing paintings as complicated as these man-made structures. These demand unrelenting discipline in that there is an element of believability you have to adhere to as a painter. Organic forms are much more forgiving. So the cement plants, cars and trucks, ramps and cement rubble I paint all have to follow the rules of perspective, light and shadow, etc. Creating believable urban structures with a plein air methodology is an ambitious undertaking.