Papel is my World
My story begins with my Mexican parents building a life on land that was once ours, I came to be on the border town of Brownsville, Texas with deep roots to Matamoros Mexico. Papel Picado connects me to my Mexican heritage, instilling work ethic, passion and cultural memory in every piece of artwork I create.
In Honorarium
My creative career started after the sudden death of my father Esmerejildo Vasquez in 2008. His passing clarified a desperate plea to LIVE the creative life I always dreamed of in honor of my parents who gave up so much for their family.
The Meaning of Papel Picado
In college, I felt unseen and unrepresented, I struggled with the English language and my grades suffered, but my creativity was unleashed. After graduation from Herron School of Art & Design at IU, I traveled back to Matamoros, Mexico to find my creative base. Even then, my heart was seeking cultural representation, meaning and connection. While in Mexico, I remembered the beauty of Papel Picado and realized that I had never seen it as an important cultural art form before. Papel Picado was everywhere including in my very soul.
My Blood Runs Through the Rio Grande
By 2010, I had taught myself how to handle a craft knife to create massive intricate murals and exploring the versatility of Papel.
Papel Picado has always been a part of me, my identity as a Mexican American woman, my Artivist voice and rebellious nature. BeatrizVasquezARTE