Horses originated in the Americas, migrating across the Bering Strait to Europe and Asia before vanishing from their homeland. Their return during colonization was a reunion more than an introduction.
As someone from the borderlands of North Mexico and South Texas, I honor the true inventors of the cowboy culture: the vaqueros. This culture was built by Indigenous and Black communities, creating the lasso, the saddle, and a way of life centuries before the romantization, integration, and appropriation of the American West.
The 2026 Year of the Fire Horse bridges cultures, taking an Asian celebration and grounding it in the diasporal American experience.
As someone from the borderlands of North Mexico and South Texas, I honor the true inventors of the cowboy culture: the vaqueros. This culture was built by Indigenous and Black communities, creating the lasso, the saddle, and a way of life centuries before the romantization, integration, and appropriation of the American West.
The 2026 Year of the Fire Horse bridges cultures, taking an Asian celebration and grounding it in the diasporal American experience.
Year of the Fuego Horse, Watercolor on Cold Press Paper, 11" x 14", 2026
Horse Ritual, Watercolor on Cold Press Paper, 11" x 14", 2026
Pegaso Tangerino, Watercolor on Cold Press Paper, 11" x 14", 2026