I was the youngest of a large family of adult children and remember many hours of being quiet and left
alone, introverted, shy, and observing the world. I developed a vivid imagination of little people in the
garden with the mice and frogs talking to one another. My Mother, also named Blanca, came from an
artistic family of Cusco Peru. She taught me many beautiful crafts and how to draw and paint.
My Father, Victor, was a military officer and my hero. Ours was a life filled with family trips in the car and hours at the playgrounds and pools of the Army post. I remember him saving our new washing machine before aftershocks of a major earthquake crushed it from a crumbling stone wall. There was also a time when we lived in the mountains and my father rushed home one night to protect us from the first threat of terrorism. Our family was targeted because he was the post commander. Only nine years old, he put a loaded pistol in my hands and told me to look out the window to shoot anything that moved.
At age eleven, hepatitis had nearly ended my life. Bedridden, my father, mother and brothers cared many months for me. Returning to school as a sickly child there was no energy to play. The power of nature fueled my creativity. Born an artist, I found myself in a world of nuns, classrooms, studies, and the same classmates year after year becoming lifelong friends. When the time came I attended the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, Lima to earn my masters degree in the arts. I majored in fine arts, studied painting, drawing, sculpture, engraving, photography, and art history. Influenced by great post impressionist and modern masters, Chagall, Modigliani, and Klimt, I became part of the Peruvian artist community working also in costume and set design for many years.
During the last two years of my university I began to work freelance to pay for studies my family could not afford. A friend recommended me to a publishing company for illustration. After a couple of years at this I won a national prize in illustration and began working as an illustrator for NGOs like UNICEF, COTESU, FAO HOLLAND, and many others creating materials to help educate the impoverished and bringing environmentalism to greater awareness. My travels to the coast, mountains, and jungle for research sent me to remote areas as terrorism and civil war began to take hold over my country. I saw horrific things firsthand and what living in fear did to the children. On one research trip my companion and I unknowingly crossed into rebel territory and were taken captive. Fortunately, they did not find out that we were working for an NGO or they would have shot us dead. The stress of being held for hours with a pistol aimed at my belly had long lasting effects. My work became even more important to me as terrorism darkened my world.
Ever the independent female I looked for my own answers in transcendental meditation. I went on a personal quest led by a Moroccan spiritual master together with shamans from my jungle. I cleansed my spirit and became part of humanity’s collective conscience. My inner peace and enlightenment inspired me to pour my visions and dreams onto canvas. With a passion for a quechuan goddess Pachamama, Mother Earth, I metaphorically embrace femininity, compassion, protection, and love.
Since coming to Seattle in 1996, I have found a home here in a community committed to environmentalism and a rich technological tradition that has helped transition my career into the information age. The last decade has been for me full of exhibitions and networking with all the people I meet. I have made many friends along the way.
In 2012, I had the honor to curate an exhibit of eight well known Latino Seattle
artists, myself included, at the Seattle Municipal Tower Ethnic Heritage Gallery. Most recently, I had exhibited a large solo show of new works at the City of Kent Centennial Center
Gallery. Right now in celebration of the 43nd anniversary of United Indians of all Tribes, I'm the featured artist in a group show at the Sacred Circle Gallery in the Daybreak Star Cultural Center. For 2013 I'm very happy to lead a group of Latino artist's in a group show for which I am curator called "Visions and Environments". We will exhibit at the Washington State Trade and Convention Center this July through September. My Father, Victor, was a military officer and my hero. Ours was a life filled with family trips in the car and hours at the playgrounds and pools of the Army post. I remember him saving our new washing machine before aftershocks of a major earthquake crushed it from a crumbling stone wall. There was also a time when we lived in the mountains and my father rushed home one night to protect us from the first threat of terrorism. Our family was targeted because he was the post commander. Only nine years old, he put a loaded pistol in my hands and told me to look out the window to shoot anything that moved.
At age eleven, hepatitis had nearly ended my life. Bedridden, my father, mother and brothers cared many months for me. Returning to school as a sickly child there was no energy to play. The power of nature fueled my creativity. Born an artist, I found myself in a world of nuns, classrooms, studies, and the same classmates year after year becoming lifelong friends. When the time came I attended the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, Lima to earn my masters degree in the arts. I majored in fine arts, studied painting, drawing, sculpture, engraving, photography, and art history. Influenced by great post impressionist and modern masters, Chagall, Modigliani, and Klimt, I became part of the Peruvian artist community working also in costume and set design for many years.
During the last two years of my university I began to work freelance to pay for studies my family could not afford. A friend recommended me to a publishing company for illustration. After a couple of years at this I won a national prize in illustration and began working as an illustrator for NGOs like UNICEF, COTESU, FAO HOLLAND, and many others creating materials to help educate the impoverished and bringing environmentalism to greater awareness. My travels to the coast, mountains, and jungle for research sent me to remote areas as terrorism and civil war began to take hold over my country. I saw horrific things firsthand and what living in fear did to the children. On one research trip my companion and I unknowingly crossed into rebel territory and were taken captive. Fortunately, they did not find out that we were working for an NGO or they would have shot us dead. The stress of being held for hours with a pistol aimed at my belly had long lasting effects. My work became even more important to me as terrorism darkened my world.
Ever the independent female I looked for my own answers in transcendental meditation. I went on a personal quest led by a Moroccan spiritual master together with shamans from my jungle. I cleansed my spirit and became part of humanity’s collective conscience. My inner peace and enlightenment inspired me to pour my visions and dreams onto canvas. With a passion for a quechuan goddess Pachamama, Mother Earth, I metaphorically embrace femininity, compassion, protection, and love.
Since coming to Seattle in 1996, I have found a home here in a community committed to environmentalism and a rich technological tradition that has helped transition my career into the information age. The last decade has been for me full of exhibitions and networking with all the people I meet. I have made many friends along the way.
In 2012, I had the honor to curate an exhibit of eight well known Latino Seattle
Our artist reception will be in September to be part of the Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations.
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