I discovered La Santa Muerte in the Sonora market of México City. I was attracted by the historical Mexican syncretism in the figure, and the echoes of Cōātlīcue, Citlāllīcuē, and Tonāntzin (Guadalupe Tonantzin). All very sacred figures to me. I created the sculpture inspired by these references and the idea of life & death and the eternal myth of return.

Current associations of the image with specific groups was not in my awareness back then and it was not part of my intent.

Below is La Santa Muerte at the Morelos Institute of Culture "Jardin Borda" in Cuernavaca, México in 1988.

As part of my initial work placement at the Arts Gallery of Nova Scotia (AGNS) I had to write a curatorial proposal for an exhibition there that reflected my background and culture as lived in my new home.

At the time, Mexican Altars to the Dead were not well known in Canada and I had a history of building them in museums so the choice made sense.

In 2006 AGNS gave me green light and a budget to build an Altar to the Dead in the lobby as a temporary exhibition honouring four Canadian artists in the Gallery’s collection who had passed away in recent years: Nancy Edell, Kenneth Lochhead, Lynn Donoghue, and Gordon MacNamara.

Below are several hand-bound books I made to serve as my personal journals or photo albums using Japanese Chiyogami paper, vintage wall paper, and other handmade and dyed types pf paper.