Maceo Montoya Libri

Set in 1943, the story follows Ernie Lobato, a Mexican-American artist striving to achieve his dream of painting masterful works in Paris, despite being stuck in rural New Mexico. Inheriting his uncle's manuscript, he sends it to Dr. Samuel Pizarro, a Chicanx literature professor, who provides insights through annotations. As Ernie navigates challenges and meets other troubled artists and activists, he grapples with the harsh realities of being a "starving artist" while seeking recognition for his own talent.

*HONORABLE MENTION for the 2022 International Latino Book Awards, Juan Felipe Herrera Best Poetry Book Award - One Author - English*American Quasar is a visual-textual collaboration between poet David Campos and artist Maceo Montoya. What began as an exploration of the precipice of violence evolved into an excavation of self, a deep meditation on how country, family, and trauma affect the ability to love. The images and words build a poetic space where the body is understood in both physical and celestial terms, giving a spiritual dimension to the collection's larger claim that the political is personal.