My position has always been anti-violence, as far back as my childhood. I grew up Hispanic, born in Arleta, California, and rooted in East Los Angeles. Daily, I was either in the shadows or lived adjacent to violence. Anti-violence movements were a big part of the California scene in our Hispanic community.

My siblings, two brothers, were ten years my senior, both military Vietnam era. Our mother, our rock, Anastasia Orozco Avendaño was very proactive in our local church; protective, productive, and positive. She reminded me of the importance and need for family. She inspired me and often spoke of our distant relative, one of the Big Three Mexican Muralists, Jose Clemente Orozco (1883-1949). Historically, he faced political turmoil, violence, and anti-violence movements. But rose above all the chaos and became a steward of his gifts.

As an artist, I want my artworks to be significant and documented by history. But with this history in the making today, I struggle, as I just wanted to put it behind me. What arose up from 2020 to the current turmoils locally in Seattle, nationally, and abroad has been difficult. A constant reminder -You can not connect the dots forward, but you can connect them backward - Another challenge was that I like to paint beautiful things, beautiful paintings, as an expression of healing; if not a cure, can they be a good remedy, a healing balm?