Archival Fine Art Print with Gold Leaf, 35” x 26”

This piece was the first in my Santos y Milagros series, created for a past solo Día de los Muertos show. Saint Catherine of Bologna was a musician, painter and writer. As an artist, I was inspired by her burning desire to create. She paved the way for all the pieces that followed in my Saints series.

From: Italy
Feast day: March 9
Patron of: Artists, the liberal arts, those suffering from temptations, and the city of Bologna
Birth: September 8, 1413
Death: March 9, 1463
Canonized: May 22, 1712
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Archival Fine Art Print, 35” x 26”

Saint Abigail
of the Sacred Bees

Finding inspiration in Saint Abigail, the patron saint of beekeepers, came easily. Life without bees would wreak global disaster, as their pollination plays a critical role in maintaining bioldiversity, slowing climate change, and sustaining our survival.

"If the bee disappeared off the face of the Earth, man would only have four years left to live. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man."

—Frequently attributed to Albert Einstein

From: Ireland

Feast day: February 11
Patron of: Honeybees, beekeepers, health, and fertility
Birth: 6th century
Death: 6th century
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Archival Fine Art Print with Black Tin Sacred Heart (not shown), 35” x 26”

A survivor of kidnapping and slavery in 19th-century Sudan, Saint Bakhita is the patron saint of human trafficking victims. With this piece, I strive to shine a light on the hope and healing she offers to all who continue to suffer from this hideous practice and war. 

From: Africa
Feast day: February 8
Patron of: Victims of human trafficking and Sudan
Birth: 1869
Death: February 8, 1947
Canonized: October 1, 2000

Click to hear her story.
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Archival Fine Art Print with Gold Leaf, 35” x 26”

Misrepresented and shunned for centuries, Mary Magdalene claims her rightful place as a respected feminist role model. In this work, I celebrate her to inspire those
spurned by society, as well as those who challenge patriarchal norms in order to achieve gender equality.

From: Israel
Feast day: July 22
Patron of: Women, penitents, hairstylists, and perfume makers
Birth: Early 1st century AD
Death: Late 1st century AD
Canonized: Pre-congregation
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Archival Fine Art Print with Gold Leaf, 35” x 26”

After losing a friend to mental illness during the COVID-19 pandemic, I stumbled upon Saint Dymphna, patron saint of mental illness. I conceived this image in my friend’s honor on the morning she died. I found it therapeutic to bring this piece to life as an expression of my own grief. I hope that others will also find solace in her presence.

We are all stars fading away, making our journey to a higher place.

From: Ireland
Feast day: May 15
Patron of: Those suffering from nervous and mental afflictions
Birth: 7th century
Death: 7th century, Martyr
Canonized: Pre-congregation

Click to hear her story.
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Archival Fine Art Print, Gold Leaf and Pink Rosary (not shown), 35” x 26”

Femicide is an act of violence against women that touches all cultures, races, and ages. For centuries, the victimization of women has known no boundaries throughout the world. This work of art honors all women who have died or disappeared as a result of violence perpetrated against them.

In this ofrenda, the image of Saint Agatha represents the suffering of these women. Saint Agatha was forced to work in a brothel, brutally mutilated, and eventually died at the hands of those who imprisoned her. Through Saint Agatha, this ofrenda captures the transition of women from their earthly anguish to divine transcendence. By elevating awareness for the plight of these women, I help the world remember them and give them recognition they never received here on earth.

From: Italy
Feast day: February 5
Patron of: Rape victims, breast cancer, wet nurses, bellfounders, against fire,
and the city of Sicily
Birth: 231
Death: 251, Martyr

Canonized: Pre-11th century

Click to hear her story.
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Archival Fine Art Print with Gold Leaf, 35” x 26”

The senseless Russian invasion of Ukraine has left the world feeling bewildered, despondent, and helpless. It has triggered the largest conflict in Europe since World War II, with devastating and enduring humanitarian effects. In my dismay, I channeled the energy of Joan of Arc to protect the Ukrainian soldiers and guide them to victory.

From: France
Feast day: May 30
Patron of: Soldiers and France
Birth: 1412
Death: May 30, 1431, Martyr
Canonized: May 16, 1920

Click to hear her story.
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Archival Fine Art Print with Gold Leaf, 35” x 26”

Known for her exquisite physical beauty, Saint Rose of Lima brought light and hope to those who were troubled. With this piece, I wanted to inspire others to find light in the darkness by seeking and celebrating the beauty in our world of social unrest, disease, and war. 

From: Peru
Feast day: August 23
Patron of: Gardeners, florists, embroiderers, Latin America, Philippines, and Peru
Birth: April 20, 1586
Death: August 24, 1617
Canonized: April 12, 1671

Click to hear her story.
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Archival Fine Art Print with Gold Leaf, 35” x 26”

Representation of the Black Madonna in Christian art goes back centuries. I was by Black Lives Matter and other recent social justice movements to revisit and shed light on the unique beauty of this iconic image. The Black Madonna of Light is my way of honoring the black community.
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Archival Fine Art Print, Gold Leaf with Sacred Heart Locket and Angel Milagro (not shown), 35” x 26”

On June 24, 2019, in Matamoros, Mexico, Salvadoran migrant Oscar Alberto Martínez Ramírez and his nearly two-year-old daughter, Valeria, were found dead on the bank of the Rio Grande. Their heads were wrapped in a black T-shirt, and Valeria’s tiny right arm was draped over her father’s shoulders. For many, their story became symbolic of the countless migrants who risk death daily by crossing the treacherous Rio Grande, desperate for a better life in pursuit of the American dream.

In this piece, Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, the patron saint of immigrants serves as a symbol of remembrance and protection for migrants. In 1889, she immigrated to the United States as the nation was becoming flooded with Italian immigrants, to whom she provided support. She is the first person in the United Saints to be canonized.

From: Greece

Feast day: August 11

Patron of: Infants, babies, and youth
Birth: January 10, 291
Death: August 10, 304, Martyr
Canonized: 1837

Click to hear her story.
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Archival Fine Art Print, Gold Leaf and Wood Anchor Pendant (not shown), 35” x 26”

Acts of violence against children are the most difficult to understand and accept. I created this work in honor of all children who have had their lives taken from them too early. This piece focuses on the senseless death of one little girl, Melissa Ortega, who had recently emigrated to the United States from Mexico alongside her mother.

In January 2022, eight-year-old Melissa was caught in gang crossfire and killed in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. After visiting Melissa’s street memorial, I felt compelled to create this work, which includes images of her shrine. My piece, Saint Philomena for the Innocent, takes inspiration from the virgin martyr who died when she was just 13 years old.

From: Greece
Feast day: August 11
Patron of: Infants, babies, and youth
Birth: January 10, 291
Death: August 10, 304, Martyr
Canonized: 1837

Click to hear her story.
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Archival Fine Art Print, Feathers, Beads, Yarn and Extensions, 35” x 26”

See framed and embellished image below.