‍For the Ones Who Keep Going

2026

Cast Glass, Bronze, Marble

Private Collection

For the Ones Who Keep Going is a sculpture of a reclining coyote I created for my mother. The front half is cast in solid glass, and the back is bronze on a marble piece. Growing up, my mother was bound to a wheelchair because she wasn't able to walk. The break in the piece reflects where my mother had her physical disability. Even though everyone told her she couldn’t walk anymore, I watched her resilience and determination and saw her teach herself how to walk again, small steps at a time. This piece honors her resilience and brings awareness to those people around us who have to live with disabilities but are still strong and always moving forward. Despite the coyote being in two pieces, it still reflects a whole figure that is beautiful, reminding us that even through disabilities, we can remain whole, resilient, and beautiful.

The green glass color of this coyote is the first glass color I created during my MFA program at Alfred University in New York State. It resembles the deep green color of the juniper trees in New Mexico. In Diné culture, the juniper tree (gad) is sacred and used for ceremonies, medicine, and traditional practices. The trees grow slowly, resisting the harsh conditions of the desert environment in the Southwest. Their ability to endure these conditions reminds us that survival is not always about growing fast, but about strength and resilience.