As soon as I arrived at Casa Lu in Mexico City at the beginning of 2021, I was in complete awe of all the colorful and stimulating energy that emanated from the vibrant culture, the effortlessly striking architecture, and the inventive sculptural pieces sprinkled throughout. Most of my new ideas had been gathered on long walks through different neighborhoods around the city. I got caught up in all the textures, shapes, patterns and color combinations that I saw, combining them to create compositions that spoke to the architectural integrity that I felt showcased the beauty of this city.

During my six-week residency, I spent my time mostly focused on 60s era influences in Mexican architecture which also inspired in me the desire to explore how it related to the walls we build within ourselves. The psychology behind the spaces we create or the spaces we choose to inhabit. I intend to further investigate how much one’s preferred interior and exterior architectural aesthetic ties into our personality, lifestyle, needs and desires, the work we do and how we present ourselves to others. How much do we impact and influence our environment to get what we want versus how much do we adapt and allow our environment to change us?

By communicating through watercolor using light and shadow, multiple layers, color and texture, I’m able to express the journey of the life of architecture throughout time and exposure to all the elements. While the physical walls we construct around us may convey our reaction to our physical environment, the internal walls we construct allow us to create a much deeper connection to oneself, entirely unique to our own experiences and exposure to life’s elements. How can we connect the two?

These particular pieces were inspired by the weather-stained patina of time and the connection between the interior and the exterior, the individual and the collective. As well as an admiring nod to Luis Barragán, a self-trained Mexican architect, who also loved to play within color, light and texture.