“Growing up in a traditional Mexican household, being the oldest of 10 kids and all the restrictions that came with it, art became a form of freedom and expression for me,” says Phoenix painter Denise Dominguez. Now, as a mother to 7-year-old son Jackson, she feels inspired to remember her Mexican-American background. She draws from her upbringing in Yuma and her Sonoran roots while trying to “find a voice” through her art. Nostalgia permeates her craft: ’90s imagery, “cholo art,” cartoon characters and familial traditions. Through Dominguez’s involvement in organizations such as Of Color Artist Collective and Drip Phx, she hopes to “inspire artists of color by providing an equitable space to build community,” she says.
