The reference photographs for this series of paintings were taken by Dr. Frank Metzgar, which he took while traveling between Mexico and the Southwest with my grandmother in the 1940's and 1950’s.   They packed their 1932 ford truck with a few belongings and traveled from desert to ocean and back. Dr. Metzgar documented the trip with his camera, primarily by focusing on the the life and times of the indigenous people of those areas.

Dr. Metzgar asked permission and paid everyone he photographed for their picture. He often paid by barter for items the local people wanted. He had for years worked and established a trusted relationship with the Navajo Indians and traded photographic portraits for tropical seashells he found in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. They used these shells in their jewelry and sand painting ceremonies. For these reasons he was able to get very personal photographs of the people he met.  
I have wanted to paint these beautiful people since I first saw his slides when I was very young. I still remember the stories about each person in the photographs and finally, I am able to bring them alive with these paintings. I hope you'll enjoy them as much as I enjoyed painting them.