oil on ceramic
12" x 6" x 6"
1996

"Family Tree" is my personal struggle to carry on my family's name. The base of the sculpture is a body of tumultuous water representing the difficulties encountered in life. The water flushes out values such as honor, respect, dignity, patience, forgiveness, integrity, sympathy, and love; causing life to be harsh, undesirable and frightening. The cylindrical, stone structures are the support my parents and friends who have provided help to understand myself and rise above an environment of hardships. The torso is me. I am barely balanced on top of my support. It is difficult to maintain my stability. A serpent attempts to destroy my balance through temptation, negativity, and selfishness. The tree trunk my cynical expression of the end of my biological lineage.