I was born in the Philippines in a small province called Tondo outside 
of Manila. My parents left me there when I was baby and moved to America 
to find work. I was raised by my aunt and uncle until about the age of 6. 
My memories of that time are happy but a bit murky and fragmented.
  
My work explores the concept of memory. The surfaces, textures and 
materials I use create the illusion of an old wall that is distressed and 
weathered. These old walls suggests history or a passing of time. The 
faded color fields in my paintings are reminiscent of the colors that I 
recall from my early childhood back in the Philippines. They are saturated 
with history and evokes a kind of sadness that a person might have when 
revisiting a childhood home. This nostalgic feeling creates a moment of 
vulnerablity and recalls a simpler more innocent time.  A closer 
inspection of the work reveals several small figures subtly 
scrawled or scratched onto the surface. They blend into the cracks and 
imperfections and are almost camoflaged. The figures or fragments of 
figures are self-portraits depicting different periods in my early 
childhood. They appear as though they are trapped in one dimensional 
space, frozen beneath the multiple layers of paint. Usually they are 
engaged in banal activities like playing, eating or sleeping; mundane acts 
long forgotten yet occupy a place in my memory waiting to be remembered.

The "Brick Boy" is another recurring motif in my work. He represents 
isolation. While the distressed wall surfaces in my work invite the viewer 
to look in, the "Brick Boy" is impenetrable, what lies beyond the brick is 
unknown or irretrievable.