ARTIST STATEMENT
Las Tres Hojas paper series captures and preserves the familial tradition of making tamales. It explores how communal food-making can bring generations together and promote healing. Made from handmade paper, Las Tres Hojas incorporates dried corn husks in two different ways: by mixing shredded pieces of husk into the paper pulp, and imprinting the face of the husk directly on the paper before it dries. After drying, las hojas are removed and result in a paper that emulates the familiar ribbed texture. Each piece is meant to honor generations of labor that have come before and passed down the sacred tradition of making tamales.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Jacqueline T. Valdez is a block printing artist based out of Chicago, IL. She engages with repetitive printing and paper-making practices in order to meditate on trauma and connect with her Mexican heritage. Valdez holds a BA from the University of Illinois at Chicago in Art History with a focus in Latin American Colonial and Contemporary Art. She has exhibited at Side Street Studio Arts 2019 Annual Printmaking Exhibition
© Jacqueline T. Valdez