The Divine Nurturer
This painting is part of a larger body of work titled How I See Her, a series of portraits that explore the way women perceive one another within the intimate bonds of female friendship.
This painting shows, Aida Alarcón, as I see her — nurturing, bright, and inviting. I intentionally used warm, comforting colors and soft, textured elements to reflect her gentle spirit and the care she extends to those around her. The braided yarn hanging in loops underneath her references her complicated hair journey as someone with alopecia. A special touch I added was casting a shadow on the wall from charms I made from up-cycled paint to spell out her name (I’m crazy! Because people pronounce and spell her name wrong so I wanted to include it in her painting as a hidden gem💭) I also made sure to include shells from Puerto Rico in the beaded, hanging pieces and I made her figure transform to an iconic volcano in Ecuador to reflect her cultural background 🇪🇨🇵🇷 I also added actual earrings pierced throw the canvas where her ears are (under her hair) as a nod to how she accessorizes and has a closet of vibrant colors!
