Mariposas y Memorias

The Aztecs and many indigenous communities believed that the last breath of a dying person was turned into a butterfly. And each year that soul returned in the form of a mariposa to visit their loved ones in the land of the living.

It is believed that human souls did not die, but instead continued to live in Mictlan, a resting place for the souls until the day they could return to visit their relatives.

Mariposas y memorias is a piece About memories—stark ones, vivid ones, lucid, faint, and even vanishing, forgotten or non-existent memories. I created this piece to mourn, to remember, to honor and to celebrate the lives, and the memories that I hold close to my heart about two beautiful souls: my grandparents.

*This relief print was created by embossing the wet paper on a carved plate, and the butterflies were hand painted with watercolor and gouache.

The design was sketched and painted by hand with watercolors and gouache paint. The relief butterflies were carved on a linoleum plate and created were pressed into 100% cotton, acid free paper (BFK 270gsm). This mixed media painting will be titled, and signed.

Paper Size: 24”x24”

Image Size: 22”x22”

Paper: BFK white 270gsm

*piece does not come framed

Shipping: Pieces are carefully packaged in an art tube and shipped within 3-5 business