Cara Romero, Untitled 3

Occasionally, as artists, we move through periods of time, and as our surroundings change, so do we. As women artists, we may move into motherhood, and our changes are profound. We sacrifice ourselves for our children. Many of us create differently because our rhythms of making shift.

I started in film, and I fell in love with film. I printed in the darkroom for 9 years before fully embracing digital workflow, while my toddlers curled up under my desk on editing nights. You see, there was a time after becoming a mother and graduating, I was no longer able to spend the same amount of time in the darkroom. My work adjusted, and I became better all the same.

This is my first film work in 18 years.

My children are grown now. I find myself with more time for self-care. I need to make things with my hands. I have this idea for a new project with my community back home. It’s one of those ideas that comes in waves and won’t let me think about anything else. The embers burn. Working in community on the Rez is a little slower. You have to slow down, too. This project calls for film, and I can feel that in my being.

This is a prototype. It is the beginning of a body of work. I have more time because my kids are grown, and I have time to work in film again. I have time to make cyanotypes for days on end til they’re perfect. Paint. Peel organza and hang it with my friends and talk about what it feels like to remember being a kid this age on the Rez, watching my grandma hang the laundry on the line. Climbing on a truck. Swimming. Imagining our storytelling of When Animals Were People. -- Cara Romero, 2025