“I curated Ancestral Connections around the premise of artmaking as a communal gathering place. I found a rich range of approaches and media that generates a dynamic coalescing of histories, moments and memories. Each artwork provides a field of entry  — a family tree as an iconic grounding force that reminds us of roots yet points to the sky and the spiritual, assemblage works that tell stories of past momentos and narrative portraits that honor generations and cultural practices. The presence of fiber in many works also speaks to the multiple threads of connection amongst the forty-one Southern California women artists in this illuminating exhibition.”
 
         Chelo Montoya 
         June 2023