Morning Hawk Studio

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With each painting I work at achieving a quality of light that you can almost feel, clarity of color, strength of composition, and sense of spirituality through my strong connection with my culture. I was raised in both Mexican and American cultures; most of my images reflect my deep respect and connection to my Mexican/Native heritage.

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After creating with oils for several years as well as ceramics, pastel and textiles, discovering the quality of light and clarity of colors that could be achieved with watercolors changed the course of my artistic career and has been my main medium for the past 33 years.

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In my artistic practice, I enjoy blending the technical aspects of details and a more painterly or fluid and organic style of watercolor. It may look like my paintings are very realistic, but when you examine them closely, there are layers that I let show through as well as happy accidents that I leave because they give the painting a different kind of energy.

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I continue to challenge myself as an artist through watercolor, realizing that it is not as limited as sometimes believed, and also pushing the medium of watercolor to become better recognized by the fine arts world.

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I received my Bachelor of Fine Arts from St. Mary's College in Moraga, CA and Master of Fine Arts in Drawing from College of the Arts in Oakland, CA.

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I have been an art instructor for the past 31 years and guest demonstrator for various art societies and conducted watercolor workshops.  Currently an adjunct professor at Merritt College and Las Positas College in the San Francisco Bay Area.

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I have received awards including Best of Show for the Society of Western Artists, many first, second, third and honorable mention awards with the California Watercolor Association, Included in the American Watercolor Society, Transparent Watercolor Society, Northwest Watercolor Society as well as the International Guild of Realism and International Watercolor Society.

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Partial list of exhibitions:

De Young Museum of San Francisco’s “De Young Open 2023”

Laurence Art Center, "In this Body, I Preserve" group exhibition, Kansas City, Ka

Marin Museum of Modern Art, Novato Ca

De Young Museum of San Francisco's "De Young Open 2018"

Triton Museum Exhibition: Salon at Triton, Santa Clara, Ca

California Perspectives Presedio San Francisco, Ca

Solo Exhibition: Cal Maritime Community Art Gallery Vallejo Ca.

Group Watercolor Exhibition Piedmont Center for the Arts, Ca.