In 2005, Celeste Cooperman, had invited me to create an image for Majorie Agosin’s upcoming book of poetry, “Secrets in the Sand: The Young Women of Juarez.” Before this invitation, I was not aware of the missing and murdered young women. To better understand these individuals, Celeste had kindly lent me a file on the murders, the victims, their families and the various organizations that rally to stop the murders as well as to find the murderers. In my research to create a believable image for the book’s cover, I also found many websites describing in detail the murders, the kidnappings of these young women. As I read countless articles on the brutal slayings, I was shocked to discover that these were all unsolved criminal cases. How the mutilated bodies were found in vacant parking lots and in remote desert sands, deeply saddened and disheartened me. Such horrific killings, “How can this be?” I asked myself. Often, when I do not understand something, am confuse and distressed about it, I paint. It is not for an answer, as often there is none, but to sort out through the sad emotions running through me and to some how in my own awkward way, describe it, find it out in oil paint on canvas, wood panel or paper. That is how my painting, “The Border” came to be.