MALA HORA (the witching hour) is the studio name for my visual artwork. As an interdisciplinary & archival artist, I look toward my ancestors and family for inspiration. My true passion lies in telling our stories, ones I didn’t see represented in books or media growing up.
We are the descendants of writers and painters, cantadoras, curanderas, rancheros, pachucas, genízaros, and vaqueros. Staying true to my namesake, my visual work explores this context of intertwined memory, mythology & magic. It is with the traditions handed down through my maternal line that I am able to connect my art practice to my family tree. I try to highlight the energy of the past with my unique drawing style and a vibrant, nostalgic color palette.
My work has been sought out in the past for exclusive collections, with groups like LucasFilms Ltd (Star Wars), Urban Outfitters, and Society6. Between client work and private commissions, I try to spend time with my pets, plants, friends and family.
xo,
Let’s work together creatively.
photograph by Jesse Ponkamo
currently on view
Education:
Bachelor of Arts, Studio Art - University of Missouri, Kansas City
Foundations - Kansas City Art Institute
Art Lab - Kansas City Art Institute
Features, exhibitions, & special projects:
2024
• All my Mexican Blues - Barbacoa, Kansas City, Summer-Fall
• All My Memories Are Colors, class of 2024 exhibition, UMKC Gallery of Art, May
2023
• Society6’s Pride Collection, featured artist, June
• Promises of Gold, José Olivarez, featured prints/press release, February
2022
• Advertising Artist Guild Grant, recipient, April
• Urban Outfitters, featured artist, March
• Society6 & Star Wars™/Lucasfilm Ltd. Collaboration, featured artist, January
2021
• Society 6, Mala Hora: Artist Feature, Art as an Ancestral Love Letter, June
• The Tap Room, solo exhibition, June, Kansas City
2019
• MUJER: Women’s History Month, group show, Mattie Rhodes Center, March, Kansas City
• PRÜDE (band) EP cover illustration, TEASE, self-released, Kansas City
2018
• Geek Love, group show, Moon Palace Books, Minneapolis
• CONTENTIOUS - self-released EP (bass/back up vocals), April, Minneapolis
2017
• Gob Guerra & Joy Spika: Decolonize Your Magic, duo exhibition, Seward Café, July, Minneapolis
• NNT#52 Lemonade - Pink EP (vocals/lyrics), January, Minneapolis
• Maximum Rocknroll Magazine, t-shirt design, Archive Benefit, Los Angeles
• Tigress (band) EP cover art and album insert, NotNormalTapes, Chicago
2016
• ALIEN: Undercurrents, group show, Windhorse Gallery, Kansas City
• Butanna (band) t-shirt design, Oakland, CA
• No Friends, Magazine Artist Showcase, editorial illustration, Chicago
2015
• Uproot, group show, Seward Cafe, Minneapolis
2014-2018
• worker/owner of the Seward Cafe, the oldest & longest running collectively owned restaurant in the US, Minneapolis
2013
• XOXO Salon Show & Benefit, group show, Spray Booth Gallery, Kansas City
2012
• Mudjackin (Christopher Good) – actor, “Susan”
2009-2012
• kcdiy.org, local website listing all ages shows/events, design & maintenance
• KC Books for Prisoners, founder
• KC Free Skool, co-founder
