CAJAS, 2026

CAJAS originated from "Boney Toe," an ongoing comic series based on my late father’s life. This painting series serves as an extension of the second installment, titled Boxes (or Cajas in Spanish). The narrative centers on the various jobs my father held, beginning as a shoeshine boy on the streets of San Antonio in the 1950s.

In this series, I explore the concept of containment—the physical and metaphorical utility of boxes. This framework allows me to compartmentalize ideas from my past that have subconsciously found their own "boxes," which I intend to "unpack" as the work evolves. Whether these containers hold specific objects, memories, or abstractions, my goal is to evoke a spectrum of emotions—joy, sadness, and fear—that both draw the viewer in and, at times, push back. Ultimately, some boxes are perhaps meant to remain closed for good.

Please scroll through the series and click each image detail for more info. Enjoy!