The car sculpture is coming along. I’ve had two other projects in the works since I began and I’m starting to move forward on this again. There are many problems to solve along the way, but I’m extremely excited about the finished product!

This project has been coming along pretty well. It’s a bit more work than I thought it would be. That’s usually the case when building something!

This is a toy bicycle made of solid steal. I’ve been thinking about toys in general lately. Kids cry for them and fight over them. They are so important to us as children! I think toys are a child’s tool to stimulate his or her imagination. I played with legos and batman action figures as a kid. Everything was left to the imagination.

I wanted to build a lowrider bike because I had a thing for lowriders when I was really young. I was passionate about model cars at the age of 14. I customized every car to create a lowriders. The gold and chrome, and all the bright colors were so appealing to me. I still think that there is so much character and attitude in them.

I loved anything that had to do with lowriders when I was growing up! I remember driving through Tucson when my brother first told me about them and that they moved up and to the sides. I built lowrider models since I was a kid and modified all of them to be lowriders. I’m working on this piece trying to put together a toy version of the lowrider bike I always wanted. Dreams never die.

I was raised on the border of Mexico and Arizona. When I was in 7th grade, I went on a walk with two friends to buy a toy that I had saved up for! I paid $24 for a cheaply cratfed butterfly knife. It was black with red speckles, with a chrome blade. I was the happiest kid alive that day. I remember taking it to school and enjoying the conversation with the tough kids in the back of the bus. I was pretty quite and a bit of a loner at the time. In retospect, I realize that I tought that, somehow, the knife made me a better or more interesting person. Having it made me more likable.

This piece is a  recreated momento to remember that time in my life. I had the desire to feel “cool” and to be envied. I never liked to brag of show off, but I felt good to be admired. I can’t remember many times before this where I felt I really wanted to impress others. It was an early stage of the development of my ego.

I’m working on the structure for the new lowrider sculpture. I’m excited about how its coming together. Its a bit bigger than the first one I built. I have many more resources to fabricate metal and wooden parts this time around, and things are coming together pretty well.

I used a blade to cut out the body’s shape from 1/8″ plywood. I then sandwiched the ply together with wood glue, and clamped them while they held the arc i wanted. I used the weight of the clamps on opposite ends to sag the front and rear end, creating the curve. When the top and bottom sheets are curved, theyre glued and nailed together using more ply. Next comes the sides of the body, cutting weel-wells and interior compartment, and lining the body with a sculpting material. Many questions are still unanswered, but I’ll figure it all out as I work.

I’ve been working at Creative Machines for a few years now. I have the luck to work at an awesome shop where a lot of interesting interactive machines and artwork are made.  This is the piece, Toby, which is downtown on Scott Ave. Theres always something interesting going on here at work.

This is one of the projects I’ve had the opportunity to work on. I welded, assembled and tested this piece. It is 1 of 100, part of a limited edition series for well-known artist, George Rhoads. Im working on putting together the last 15 of these. I’m also helping put together the design concept for the new limited edition set.

Visit www.CreativeMachines.com to see what other cool stuff we do.

This is what my energy’s been going into lately. I constantly try to keep my mind running and producing new creative ideas. As I work on establishing my foundation as an artist, I have to stop and look at where I’ve brought myself. I’m happy with what I’m doing, but more excited about where I’m going.

My goal has been to create a concept of  liveliness that is mainly inspired by adolescent and childhood playfulness and memories. I feel good about the outcome of the work overall. The shirt, On Point, is how I feel about my progress and about the way I work. I plan to approach every project with the idea that I will create with a concept and work meticulously to execute it.