My personal background and experiences influence my art in ways that are sometimes subtle but always meaningful. As a Mexican American and someone connected to my Indigeneity, I carry perspectives that shape how I create, even when my art does not explicitly depict cultural themes. I have always understood art as a way of expressing difference, of stepping outside the expectations of what is considered mainstream or dominant. For me, creating art is a way of staying grounded in who I am while also exploring new ways of seeing and representing the world. When I first began making art, I was drawn to drawing and watercolor because of the freedom they offered me. With watercolor especially, there is always an element of unpredictability. The paint moves in ways you cannot always control, and I found a sense of beauty in letting go and allowing the process to guide me. In many ways, that reflects my own journey—learning to accept change, unpredictability, and difference as not weaknesses, but sources of strength. Even in my more structured work, like digital drawing or planned compositions, I often leave room for experimentation, which I see as an echo of how my background encourages me to imagine alternative ways of creating. Lately, I have been moving into animation, which feels like a natural extension of my art. Animation allows me to bring my ideas to life in motion, to tell stories that are not just static images but living moments. While the animations I am working on are not explicitly “about” my Indigenous identity, I know that my perspective as an Indigenous and Mexican American artist informs the kinds of stories I want to tell and the way I want them to feel. There is a rhythm, a layering of meaning, and a connection to my own experiences that I want to be present in every piece, even if viewers don’t immediately recognize it. Being part of a marginalized community has also made me sensitive to whose voices are heard and whose stories are overlooked. That awareness shows up in my art. I find myself drawn to themes of invisibility and visibility, of what it means to be overlooked but still present, quiet but still powerful. In this sense, my art reflects my life story—it is not always loud or obvious, but it is intentional and deeply rooted. I want my work to embody this balance, creating pieces that invite people to pause, reflect, and consider perspectives that might otherwise remain unseen. Ultimately, my identity shapes not just what I make, but how I make it. I approach art as a dialogue between myself and my background, between tradition and experimentation, between who I am and who I am becoming. My art is a way of expressing freedom and difference, but also of staying in tune with my Indigeneity, even when it is not directly depicted. As I continue to grow as an artist, I hope to use my talents to create work that not only reflects my own story, but also resonates with and uplifts others who see themselves in the margins of dominant narratives.