The Muse

The De Young museum recently held an open call for local artists to exhibit at the 2023 De Young Open. I had a different piece in mind to submit, one I considered more "museum worthy," but it was created around 2019, and they were looking for more recent work.

So I picked something from my a new series of abstract explorations involving geometry, light, and colors.

As I was working on this new piece, I received news of my dear aunt's passing. I reflected on her life, our memories, and the concepts of life and death as I continued painting. The painting evolved into something entirely different from my original idea. When I completed it, the name came to me – I saw it as a precious stone and considered naming it Diamond or Ruby. Then, it struck me like a precious rock on my head: my aunt's name was Rubidia, affectionately known as Ruby, and that's how the name was born.

I'm delighted to share that the De Young has chosen this painting for their exhibition, which will run from September 30 to January 7. This artwork is a tribute to my aunt Rubidia, who supported me with my studies and art projects. Her light shines through this painting, and I am honored to commemorate her life through my work.