As a Latin American woman who has lived through a dictatorship in Chile, I use art to give meaning to a life history that is at once hard to confront and important to remember. My experiences as an immigrant infuse the context of the subjects in my pieces who often face human dilemmas including domination by societal forces. Through my drawings and paintings, I explore the transformative power of complex emotions implicit in the human struggle for integrity. My images come from the subconscious. Many of the figures I create appear in "other-worlds" environments where their outward composure is in direct contrast to their inner turmoil. Realities collide on multiple levels while beauty emanates from the subjects. Often my compositions represent moments in the lives of individuals that serve as metaphors for those lives.