Down Road 264

Memories are powerful. A smell, a sound, or a flavor can send you spiraling down a rabbit hole of a moment you've long forgotten. I spent a lot of my life suppressing memories for my own self-preservation. But memories are stories, and stories are lineage, and I was cutting off its circulation.

In Hopi culture, women are the heads of families, the preservers, and the keepers of stories. Hopi people trace their family through their mothers, learn from them, and follow their lead. And so by suppressing these memories, my stories, I was not only depriving myself but also my daughters and granddaughters, now until time immemorial, of our culture and connection to each other.

This collection is a practice of unlocking memories and facing them head-on— Processing, grieving, and healing. Each painting unearthed a new memory; each poem helped me release it.

This is an ongoign project as part of my LIFT award with the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation. This series will be shown in an exhibition in Fall of 2024.

Click through the images to read the poetry that accompanies the artwork.