“Every drawing is a story,” my grandfather used to say as he captured the natural beauty of local landscapes on canvas with acrylic paint while my six-year-old self imitated his graceful brushstrokes. Then he would ask, “what story do you want to tell?”

His words helped me define art as more than a work of aesthetics, inspiring me to create my own narrative, which finds its voice in expressing the balance between heritage and modern identity. When I paint scenes that merge ancestral traditions with the fluid dynamics of contemporary life, I include elements of contrast.

For instance, I might depict traditional clothing in bustling city streets or individuals navigating modern routines while surrounded by fading cultural landmarks. Each brushstroke becomes a dialogue between past and present, where time-honored customs meet modern challenges. Instead of blending these contrasts seamlessly, I highlight them, capturing the juxtaposition of tension and harmony between two seemingly incompatible themes.

As my ability to narrate stories enhanced, I began critiquing societal issues, using art as a lens to explore cultural erosion and resilience. My works, like my slot machine with indigenous prints symbolizing the negative impacts of casinos on reservations or my acrylic painting of a businessman that spends time earning money to buy more time, embody these tensions. My artistic journey, shaped by diverse cultural influences, is rooted in the belief that art is a universal language. As I embark on the next chapter, I remain committed to creating artworks that celebrate heritage and share narratives of different cultures.