"One of the aspects of my work that I like to point out is that every design I use is universal and appears in European and African traditions as well as Native American. The multicultural nature of these motifs appeal to my "sense of place" in our modern culture and allow me to honor the multiple nationalities and etlinicities that comprise my family. In my work people can expect to see what appear to be "Celtic Knots" that are in fact images derived from Mayan temples in Veracruz. They will also see step and fret patterns called "Greek Keys" and Egyptian feather/palm leaf motifs that are identical to Pre-Columbian Pueblo designs.

What I seek to demonstrate is that many of the motifs that are commonly referred to as Greco-Roman or Indo-European in our Western body of thought are, in fact, truly universal and have been independently developed by other cultures separated by vast oceans and thousands of years. What is even more intriguing to me is the fact that even though a particular design may have an identical New World counterpart, it will have a meaning and significance that varies from culture to culture. With this in mind, it is possible for two individuals from two very different cultural backgrounds to regard the same work of art and come away from the experience feeling that the piece spoke directly to their own personal sense of history and tradition. It's all a matter of cultural context."

 

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