Día de Los Muertos Exhibition featuring “Terminally Pretty” by John David DeJesus and “Overflow” by Roxxanne Rittenhouse.

Unveiling of the Piñata made by Roxxanne Rittenhouse commissioned by LMAC .

John DeJesus was born and raised in the Bronx New York.  As a child he spent his time breakdancing and reading/drawing comic books.  In highschool he worked on his camero super sport and designed DND characters/action figures for his table top game nights with his friends.  He later went to the College of Sante Fe where he studied art and computer science.  Much later he met my mother married her and becomes my father/mentor/inspiration.  When he found his voice as an artist, the family would travel all over the south west going to arts shows like Hollywood Undead in California, Dia de Los Murtos parade in Sante Fe, the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, Dallas Art Crawl and many more and I was happy to be along for the ride. 

And what a ride it was.  John taught me basically everything I know about art.  He introduced me to a vibrant beautiful culture and treated me like family from the start.  I wasn’t his step daughter and he was so much more than just a step father.  My work is constantly inspired by my father and New Mexican life. I was born and raised in New Mexico. Colloquially know to locals as the Land of Enchantment.  Lived there my whole life until 2017. Two years after my fathers passing. I wanted to be close to him but away from the memories that were too raw in my desert home.  So I moved here to upstate New York and though I am not a born New Yorker this place feels like a home away from home and it’s a blessing to be near the city that my father loved so much.