“I’m an artist who uses printmaking, hand papermaking, and sculpture to explore aspects of my biracial Latina identity and familial history.”
J. Leigh Garcia
Associate Professor
School of Art
As a seventh-generation Texan of European descent on my mom’s side and granddaughter of Mexican immigrants on my dad’s, I have followed the roots of my own ancestry to shape my artistic practice. I’m very interested in themes of immigration, assimilation, and generational privilege on the Texas/Mexico border.
Major events in Texas history such as the Mexican-American War, Battle of the Alamo, Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, and Bracero Program have created a complex relationship between my two cultures: white Texans and mestizo Mexicans. Products of these historical events—particularly undocumented immigration and the racialization of Mexicans—are both the context and focus of my work.
I often integrate hand papermaking processes, and I’m currently growing my own fibers, such as milkweed, mulberry, and okra plants, for papermaking.
Why I Do What I Do
I’ve always loved making things with my hands, but when I was introduced to printmaking in high school, I knew it was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
Printmaking has been used throughout history in many political movements to make large quantities of printed matter such as posters and pamphlets. I find a strong cultural connection to printmaking’s use in the Mexican Revolution with artists such as Leopoldo Méndez, Diego Rivera, and Maria Izquierdo.
These artists made work highlighting the oppression of the Mexican working class and called for social reform. Because they made multiples through printmaking, they were able to spread their ideas and images with the masses.
Currently Working On
I recently completed a body of work celebrating Mexican construction workers, with a focus on my grandfather who was a tile setter in Monterrey, Mexico and Harlingen, Texas. This recent work acknowledges the artistry, craft, and beauty that self-taught laborers, such as my grandfather, accomplish that often goes unnoticed.
I also allude to the idea that while my grandfather passed away in 2016, his legacy endures through the many buildings he helped to construct.