Echoes #3

This body of work is a heartfelt departure from my usual style, an intimate tribute to my family and the artistic lineage I come from. Inspired by Helen Hardin, my namesake, these pieces reflect a style reminiscent of her work and the aesthetic sensibilities passed down through generations of women in my family. Recently, I came across a set of photographs HH had taken of Mimbres designs, and something about them stirred a deep sense of connection. My mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother have all passed, but when I paint, I feel close to them, almost as if I’m hearing their thoughts echo in mine. As I painted these pieces, I felt them sitting with me, guiding my hand. The process required patience, precision, and an entirely new way of working: I used rulers, measured carefully, and colored within the lines, so unlike my usual expressive, intuitive approach, which welcomes spontaneity and lets el duende lead me. These paintings had a plan and a destination, and through that discipline, I found a different kind of freedom. Though not technically perfect, they are lovingly handmade, artifacts of reverence and remembrance. To me, they feel like a little girl playing dress-up in her ancestors’ robes, honoring where she comes from while learning something entirely new.