This collection consists of works made through my signature process of layering plaster on a wooden panel, mimicking the techniques I picked up while working alongside my father during el trabajo, at work. The pieces are a reflection of my inheritance — herencia in Spanish. I view my herencia as two-fold: it lies in the Mexican culture and traditions that were passed down to me through my parents, but is also a kind of embodied knowledge that comes from the skills and work ethic they taught me.
These works are my most sculptural to date. I challenged myself to use plaster in a way that would evoke more delicate materials like cloth or paper. As I was working, I began seeing traces of my childhood memories in the billowing forms: hanging clothes to dry in the back of my grandmother’s house after bathing in the river, the dresses I sewed for my dolls, the cobija (blanket) that brought me so much comfort. These images are reflected in the titles of the works.