Sculptor Elaine Bordeaux and the Shape of Purpose
Polly Cortez, left, and Elaine Bordeaux are shown at the "Courage" exhibit at Castle Litomerice in the Czech Republic. (Photo courtesy of Polly Cortez)
Growing up in Pasay City, Philippines, Elaine Antonio Bordeaux said she had always been drawn to art, but it was only in 2020, after moving to Broomfield, Colorado, with her husband, Randy, that she heard the calling for sculpture impossible to ignore.
“There was something about the mountains, the open space, and the stillness that allowed me to hear my inner voice more clearly,” said Bordeaux, who is also an immigration lawyer. “That was when I began working seriously with clay and bronze and when I realized I was meant to be a sculptor. Colorado was where my hands finally found their language.”
In 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, her hands found their way to clay and bronze—working meticulously while the world outside was wrapped in fear, uncertainty, and isolation. Bordeaux recalled she wasn’t working from any image or plan; the strokes of her fingers let the form reveal itself. She was simply shaping clay when, suddenly, she said, a face emerged—the face of Jesus Christ. And that was the first sculpture she created, a form of prayer.
The art of creating images by casting metal gave her a deeper sense of purpose, affirming that it’s never too late to answer a calling, no matter one’s stage in life. With time on her hands during the pandemic, Bordeaux, 50, said it was possible to create something meaningful, especially when surrounded by such a beautiful environment.
Reignited Attraction
She said her attraction to art was reignited during a visit to Mexico in 2016. An immigration lawyer since 2008, she flew to Oaxaca for a much-needed break. While in search of something more personal, she attended an art class, and the fire inside her grew. She found herself in Oaxaca, she said, and experienced a personal transformation—learning to love herself.
While creating images, Bordeaux didn’t realize she was also building a dream—an ambitious one, she said. What began as an instinctive practice soon opened onto larger questions of identity, visibility, and belonging. As her confidence grew, she began to understand her work not only as personal expression but also as presence.
“As a Filipina, I did not grow up seeing many women who looked like me working in monumental sculpture,” Bordeaux said. “But that absence itself became my motivation. I realized that sometimes you become the artist you never saw, not because the door was opened for you, but because you opened it yourself.”
And from that awareness, a new purpose came to light— “Courage”—a journey showcasing her sculptures. Bordeaux said her “Courage” exhibit debuted in Barcelona, Spain, in 2023, sponsored by the Philippine Cultural Office.
The "Courage" exhibit draws attendees in Barcelona, Spain, on Oct. 16, 2023 (Photo courtesy of Randy Bordeaux)
Her excitement was palpable as she described the opening night. The gallery at the Philippine Consulate, she said, could hold only 20 people, yet more than 100 came. She saw happy faces as guests recognized Lapulapu, whose men killed explorer Ferdinand Magellan in what would become the Philippines in the 16th century, and Apo Whang-Od, a famous tattoo artist from Kalinga, Philippines. That night, Bordeaux recalled, the exhibition became more than an event; it became a revelation.
Changed by an Exhibition
“That exhibition changed me,” she said. “I want to share with our people what we can do, the power that we have inside us, and that we can be who we want to be.”
From Barcelona, “Courage” traveled to Madrid, then to the United States—to San Francisco, California; Wyoming; Arizona; and Houston, Texas. In 2024, the exhibit continued its journey to Castle Litoměřice in the Czech Republic. From Bordeaux’s point of view, the exhibit was historic because the town of Litoměřice was visited in 1887 by Philippine national hero Dr. Jose Rizal to see his friend, Professor Ferdinand Blumentritt.
Attendees are shown at the "Courage" exhibit in San Francisco, Calif.ornia on July 8, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Randy Bordeaux)
Polly Cortez, the current president of the Dr. Jose Rizal Legacy International Foundation (DJRLIF), was at the opening nights of the “Courage” exhibit in Litoměřice, San Francisco, and Colorado Springs. The DJRLIF, which was founded in 2023, shares on its website its vision of “a world where Dr. Jose Rizal’s legacy serves as a guiding light for individuals and communities to become catalysts for positive change.”
“Every Filipino should know that Rizal's legacy is not only about resistance,” Cortez said in an email interview. “It is about the transformative power of ideas, the importance of learning, and the courage to stand for what is right. These values resonate deeply with our shared American ideals of liberty, opportunity, and justice for all.”
Bordeaux’s migration to the U.S. started in 2005, when her family arrived in Mississippi. She was a young lawyer then, she said, having graduated from Arellano University School of Law in 2000. She did not waste time pursuing her goals in the “Land of Opportunity.” She enrolled at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, took the bar exam in New York, and passed on her first try. She chose immigration law because she wanted to help people like herself.
A group poses for a picture at the "Courage" exhibit in Cheyenne, Wyoming, on Aug. 31, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Randy Bordeaux)
While practicing law in Mississippi, Bordeaux said she witnessed firsthand the harsh realities of Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests and detentions, particularly among temporary workers from South America who had stayed on after Hurricane Katrina cleanup and reconstruction ended. She said those encounters deepened her understanding of displacement, resilience, and justice as she became a lawyer for Catholic Charities. It was the first time she felt good about her law practice, she said.
That work grounded her in service, but it also stirred something deeper. When the demands of practicing law weighed heavily, she turned to art, seeing it as a therapeutic balm. Sculpture became another outlet that words and laws could not fully express.
Larger Artistic Purpose
What began as a personal retreat soon grew into a larger artistic purpose. From celebrating stories of intrepidity and bravery through “Courage,” Bordeaux’s sculptures evolved toward honoring one of the Philippines’ greatest symbols of courage—its national hero.
“Dr. Jose Rizal represents the highest expression of what it means to be Filipino,” Bordeaux said. “Intelligence, courage, dignity, and peaceful resistance. As an immigrant and a Filipina American, I feel deeply connected to his story of exile, identity, and sacrifice.”
During a casual conversation in 2023 with noted Filipino sculptor and filmmaker Fritz Silorio, she recalled how they envisioned building a monument to Rizal in cities across the U.S. They set their sights on installing the first monument in Colorado, the place where the calling first took root. On July 27, 2025, the 6-foot bronze monument of Rizal, created by Bordeaux and Silorio, was unveiled and displayed prominently at George Fellows Park in Colorado Springs.
The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco reported on its website that Consul General Neil Frank Ferrer attended the dedication ceremony and that “the event was organized by the Dr. Jose Rizal Legacy International Foundation and was graced by descendants of Dr. Jose Rizal, namely Ms. Bambi Virata and Ms. Claire Pinto. Representative Jeff Crank of Colorado’s Fifth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives and Honorary Consul Donna LaVigne were also in attendance.”
Silorio said in an email statement that “placing monuments of José Rizal in U.S. cities is deeply important to me because Rizal represents universal values that transcend nationality—intellectual courage, moral clarity, peaceful resistance, and the power of ideas to shape a nation.
“For Filipinos in the diaspora, these monuments serve as cultural anchors,” Silorio said. “They affirm identity, history, and pride, especially for younger generations who may be growing up far from their ancestral roots. Seeing Rizal honored in public American spaces tells them that their heritage matters, that their history has a place in the global narrative.”
Bordeaux said the next unveiling of a Rizal monument will be in Daly City, California, in December, followed by a third monument placement in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Silorio said, “Ultimately, these monuments are not only about remembrance but about conversation. They stand as quiet educators in the public space—inviting reflection on who we honor, why we honor them, and what kind of future we are collectively shaping.”
Cortez was also present in Daly City when the project for a Rizal monument was launched. The message the DJRLIF wants to convey not only to Filipinos in the U.S. but to everyone who sees the future monument is “to celebrate and honor the legacy of a remarkable thinker, healer, and strong advocate for social justice,” she said.
“A prolific writer, physician, linguist, and reformer whose ideas helped awaken the national consciousness of his fellow citizens during the Spanish colonial period, his enduring works, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, inspired generations and remain powerful symbols of freedom, education, and dignity,” Cortez said.
She added, “Rizal depicted a quiet and impactful reformer not by force but by pen. He stressed the strength of community and strongly advocated for education, especially for youth, to empower our future.”
Sculpting Rizal
Bordeaux’s sculptures of Rizal and other Philippine heroes speak through presence and recognize the power of ideas, the strength of community, and the aspiration that Rizal once embodied in life—that the “youth is the hope of a nation.”
People gather at the "Courage" exhibit in Chandler, Ariz., on Oct. 9, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Randy Bordeaux)
“We are all proud,” she said. “This is part of the nine monuments we plan to build in the next 10 years.”
Beyond honoring Filipino heritage, Silorio also intended to speak meaningfully to the wider American public.
“I hope these sculptures communicate connection and shared values,” he said. “Rizal lived, studied, and wrote in a global context. He admired democratic ideals, questioned injustice, and believed strongly in civic responsibility. Presenting his image in U.S. cities invites dialogue about freedom, colonial history, immigration, and the enduring relevance of thoughtful dissent.”
Meanwhile, Bordeaux’s sculptures continue on their journey. During Filipino American Heritage Month last October, her works were displayed at Dallas Love Field Airport, sponsored by the Pilipino American Community Endeavor. From April 9 to 30, her work will be displayed at the Dallas Asian American Historical Society Museum of Asian Texans. This summer, Bordeaux will be the artist in residence at Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center in Cedar Hill, Texas, where the Bordeauxs have lived since December 2024.
The “COurage” exhibit in Madrid, Spain (Photo courtesy of Randy Bordeaux)
For every image she has created, Bordeaux wants everyone to see something far beyond the images that stand in front of them.
“I want them to feel seen, acknowledged, and uplifted,” she said. “I want them to pause, to breathe, to feel something deeper than words—a quiet recognition of beauty, humanity, and spirit. For Filipinos, I want them to remember the beauty, the greatness, and the richness of our heritage, our people, and our history.”
The art of creating images by casting metal gave her a deeper sense of purpose, affirming that it’s never too late to answer a calling no matter one’s stage in life.
Passion for Writing
The Filipina artist’s passions also extend to writing. As a mental health advocate, Bordeaux has just penned a book on self-discovery, Change Your Mind, Change Your Life. At her book-signing event at Kabayan Restaurant in Dallas in January, Filipinos gathered not just to have a copy signed but also to share their dreams and stories.
The “COurage” exhibit in the Czech Republic (Photo courtesy of Randy Bordeaux)
Bordeaux told the audience how her dreams started with the support of Randy, reminding everyone that it is never too late to answer the call, “that you do not need everything figured out.”
Randy was in the audience and everywhere “Courage” goes.
“It is inspiring to watch her be able to navigate and succeed in both callings,” he said. “I see the balance she maintains between being a lawyer and then using art to give her that break from the law.”
He said his wife brings a drawing pad everywhere they go.
“I have seen more art museums now than I ever did before,” he said. “Sometimes when we go on trips, Elaine will have clay and create sculptures in our hotel room.”
As the applause died down at Kabayan, Bordeaux was pleased to connect with the attendees and hoped they had taken something to heart. “I hope something meaningful has touched them,” she said. “Something that reminds them who they are and what they stand for—courage and beauty.”
After she and Randy left, her words still lingered.
“Your dreams exist for a reason. You only need the courage to take the next step.”
Jocelyn Alvarez Allgood is a freelance writer and an actress in North Texas.
More articles from Jocelyn Alvarez Allgood
No comments