Painting landscapes is a way for me to understand this place where I am from, to explore the borderlands through color, patterns, and textures. These landscape paintings are abstract. Using repetitive mark making with resonating, vibrant colors, I express a range of emotions. They are my valentine from the borderlands. Since 2011 I have made a series of landscape paintings of Borderlandia, a reimagined borderlands space full of life and movement. My most recent paintings include portraits of dogs over patterns and landscapes. These paintings embrace contradictions in style, abstract landscapes and the familiar image of the dog. Dog heads and bodies float on the landscape. Flying, levitating, they represent the energy created when a border is crossed, moved or destroyed. Dogs are comical, tricksters and companions to guide people through Borderlandia. Portraits of dogs insert humor, comfort, and joy into difficult but urgent conversations about the borderlands.