RI Latino Artists Network (RILAN)

My family has always felt very close to la "Virgencita" as my Grandma calls her. I was around thirteen when I became aware of religion and what it calls us to. La Virgencita has been a guiding light for me, as she’s been for many. She is a constant reminder of the power of love, joy, consolation and hope. I can’t really explain it, I felt like I needed to do this, a very strong pull. Maybe this is the start of something new for me.

I am a Mexican-American self-taught artist originally from the West Coast and now I live in Providence. Our Lady of Guadalupe is my spiritual connection to my culture.

It has been said that in the image we all know of Our Lady of Guadalupe, there is a sign that she is pregnant. In this art piece, I decided to show this through the glow on her face rather than showing her belly. The heart is a symbol of the heartbeat of the child she carries, and of the love that emanates from all who follow her.

My dad is from Cuba and my mom was born in England and her family are Jewish and fled the Nazi's. Because neither side was religious, I had to find my own spirituality. My Cuban abuela was the one who had altars in her house with different saints and I was always interested in this. I immediately found comfort with the Virgencita Guadalupe. I took her in as if she was my own! I began painting her, praying to her, decorating my home with her and wearing her around my neck. These are the reasons I am submitting my art.

I entered my photograph of Our Lady of Guadalupe because I admire what she represents to the Mexican culture and all of Latin America. I have always looked at Our Lady of Guadalupe with such awe and curiosity of her story and how beautiful she is portrayed by various Latino artists, especially in Mexico. She is a symbol of a woman that gives hope, faith and protection to her pueblo and it gives me pride to show my respects to Our Lady Guadalupe, with my interpretation on the intimate relationship each of us have with her in our homes, in our everyday.

I was born in Mexico D. F. My family is from Michoacán, México. My creative practice mostly pertains to drawing and painting. Graffiti Art has been something I’ve grown with and feel very close to. My artistic style can be described as Graffiti like, but I feel I am yet to discover my style. I look forward to experimenting more and learning other medias and styles.

La Virgen de Guadalupe is seen as a representation of Mexico, its religion and its people. Most importantly, the indigenous people. I for one love the story of how she came to be, how she now is one of Mexico’s most valued and loved icons.

I am a Dominican Pop Artist who lives in Providence, R.I. and enjoy painting portraits. One of my early inspirations growing up in a Catholic family was religious art. La Virgin de Guadalupe was a staple in church and on Univision with television shows like La Rosa de Guadalupe being watched at home. I wanted to create a more modern take on the image of Guadalupe. She always had a majestic look and I tried to capture that with plenty of gold to catch your eye.

My tía Guadalupe named two of her children Guadalupe (one was female and one male). I watched my two Guadalupe primos grow up through stages of life proudly wearing that name, and sometimes I wondered what Our Lady of Guadalupe would have been like in her youth. Was she always so reverent and revered?

For this design, I decided to imagine her in her early twenties, a hip, coqueta who calls herself Lupita, La Morenita. This beloved and popular chica is surrounded by an aura, a light that she does not see, yet its brightness makes her stand out above others in her circle.

The roses of her future are reflected in her sunglasses, highlighting the simple flower that she is in her youth, providing a hint of the everlasting love she will carry for us, and we for her.

The angel is not at her feet, but on her lapel close to her heart, where she protects Lupita and keeps her pure. The angel also carries the half moon (lighting the way), a hint of the powerful woman Lupita La Morenita is destined to become.

As I created Guadalupe, I wanted to showcase the colorful handcrafted Mexican artwork as well as the lovely people that I’ve been fortunate to have met devoted to her. I wanted to portray a serene and loving Aztec Woman holding her precious child, wrapped in a Mexican flag amidst a bouquet of roses, surrounded by a beaming ray of sunlight.

She is iconic, and her story alone, creates so many emotions. I tried to connect nature and the profound symbolism of spiritually. I chose the oval canvas to represent an expanded version of the small medal you carry in your pocket as a form of devotion.

The dark moon behind her, and the roses at her feet represent the power of love that defeats tragedy and darkness.

I was born in Guatemala and raised in Rhode Island. I have most recently been deepening my creative practice through healing from childhood trauma. I have always loved collage and sewing. The last few years have been a wonderful exploration of watercolor.

Our Lady of Guadalupe is a very important person in my life. I have a deep personal connection with her that began in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In 2014 my mother and I made a pilgrimage to see her in Tepeyac, México. It was a profound and moving
experience. When I saw this call for submission I felt called to be a part of this experience.

Virgin of Guadalupe symbolizes warmth, nourishment and maternal care; however, she also has strong associations with the modesty and submission of women. Also, this Catholic symbol was created on the temple of the pre-Hispanic goddess Tonantzin, who was understood as Mother Earth in its fullness.

In my work as an illustrator, I consider it important to constantly reflect on the representations we create, especially when these images are part of our daily rituals. Therefore, I have decided to portray La Guadalupana as an indigenous peasant woman, as a tribute from the admiration for her constant dedication to feeding not only her families but also the biodiversity of this planet. This image also shows the woman in an attitude where she recognizes herself as abundant, like the goddess Tonantzin, and where she knows she is strong and deserving of joy and abundance.

I grew up in a Catholic household. My mother, I’d say was the religious one but left me to my own devices. The images of Guadalupe and others were common, so I never truly even considered them at the time. No more than religious imagery that just did not peak my interest. Today I am more fascinated by the concepts that motivate a large portion of the Latin community and the world. These fantastic stories that steer the morality of the people is a subject I won’t grow tired of.

"Our Lady of Divine Providence" despite the name is actually the blessed Patroness of Puerto Rico. Virgin Mary statutes can be found all over Puerto Rico in homes, yards, shops, etc. Throughout my life I've always been drawn to the figure without truly realizing my own association with my spirituality. I think especially now it echoes our collective need to help others in times of desperation and destruction but more so in times of happiness and celebration.

Growing up in Northeast United States, it’s easy for someone of a mixed race and multicultural upbringing to slightly underestimate, or even forget, the importance of one’s heritage. The symbol Our Lady of Guadalupe never fails to serve as a constant reminder of not only my own background, but also a reminder of the importance of embracing our history and culture.