Tower Gallery - Rafting with Rox 2007

When asked to do a piece for the city of Santa Fe’s new Community Civic Center, I had to stop and ask the question, “What does this town need to see?” Most cities began as several nucleus families building a life together in a favorable location. Santa Fe was originally a Pueblo village long before the Europeans arrived. The Pueblos were all about community. Everything was structured to include everyone in the activities of the village and ceremonial world. If I were given one image to capture the “seed” or beginnings of this state of community consciousness, it would be a child born within an extended family in which they come around him/her in total support. A child so honored KNOWS they are wanted and a vital part of their world. This is what I wanted Santa Fe to see. This is what I want all of us to remember: It takes a whole community to raise a child to become a healthy part of the Whole. Our world today has, for the most part forgotten this, but maybe we can find it again.

Speech that Roxanne gave at the Dedication Ceremony

When I was creating the concept of this piece, the old African proverb
come to mind, "It takes a whole community to raise a child." I thought of
all the children that where born and grew up here in this place that was
once a pueblo, then a Spanish village, and now is the City of Santa Fe. I
thought of how one family became two then three and so on, but all started
with a single desire to come together around each other out of love or
support, or survival or loneliness. This gathering is both a focused
inward motion and an outward expanding motion.

During the process of building "The Family", I re-experienced my own
journey of this flowering of the human community. I started with the
child and it's mother. When I made the child, I remembered being the
child in the arms of my Mother. When I made the Mother, I experienced
being the Mother. I could even experience the Father's role. Each part,
each pedal of this human community has a role and place that felt
exquisitely unique and rich. Even when I got to the last figures, the
ghost like ancestors, I could feel them present, loving, watching, over
their descendants, their children forever forward, forever backwards, but
all happening right now.

As one of the children of Santa Fe, I am very honored to have had a chance
to express myself through this artwork for the community of Santa Fe.
I thank this city for all the many generations that led to me being here
today.
I thank my own family for their support. My mother Rina for her wisdom.
My father who watches over me from the clouds, my children and
grandchildren who have been my greatest teachers of what it feels like to
love. I'd like to thank my husband, Tim, for being such a strength to
lean on when I felt weak.
To Debra and the Art's Commission for choosing me
Phil
Channupa
Chas
Ginger
Karl and Joe...I thank you for your help.

And to all those who visited me up in the Tower while I crawled around on
the floor for a year making this piece, I thank you for your conversations
and insights, and your companionship.

thank you