I am a Sāmoan and Mexican-American painter from Carson, California. My work explores memory, domestic landscapes, and the native foliage of Sāmoa, my ancestral homeland, to which I visit annually. I use drawing and acrylic paint to weave fragments of memory with elements of domesticity to tell personal narratives, combine spaces, and capture moments in time. Through the process of painting, I refine my drawings, and delve further into examining stylistic motifs of Polynesian culture. As a lifetime resident of the South Bay of Los Angeles, I have always drawn inspiration from architectural patterns, botany, and the suburban landscape around me. They inform compositional elements of my work as I observe my indigenous heritage through an American lens.
I am interested in continuing the tradition of creation as it relates to my ancestry. Sāmoans have always been craftsmen, weavers, and storytellers, and my art practice allows me to be a part of that tradition. My studio practice is informed by a collection of field research, found objects, and photography generated while in Sāmoa. The study of traditional craftsmanship and the native botany of the region, by means of scholarly reading and spoken accounts from people indigenous to the South Pacific, are vital to my art practice. My work relies heavily on observational reference, as well as personal narratives from journal entries I wrote while on the island.
Etuale received her BA in Studio Art from California State University, Dominguez Hills in 2024.
