Tia L. Flores - Pyrographer

I view my artwork as a creative interaction with Mother Nature by simply accenting its natural beauty while maintaining the individual uniqueness of the calabaza.  Spurred by a desire to know more about my ancestors, my creations have evolved into a new area of culturally themed gourds, including vessels, drums, masks, totems and jewelry.   

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My designs are a reflection of my two families.  From my maternal grandmother, Louise, I am greatly influenced by the vast beauty of the Nevada desert; and from my paternal grandmother, Anastacia, I am drawn to the rich cultures of the Aztec and Navajo people and their love of the earth.

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I grew up in Las Vegas, back when the desert was home to more creatures than people.  We lived in a small neighborhood on the north edge of town just below the Red Rock Mountains.  My younger brothers and I spent the majority of our summers exploring the vast terrain of the Nevada desert constructing elaborate forts and collecting various desert reptiles.