A Thread of Offerings 4/8 Maroon/ Green Coatlicue Background

This relief print delves into themes of sacrifice, community, and cultural heritage. Each print is a different version of the relief print design just like we are all different but the same in many ways. The inspiration for this print was inspired from the Aztec goddess Coatlicue statue that I visited on a trip to Mexico City. Her necklace of hands and hearts symbolizes honor for those who sacrificed themselves. The print features interconnected hands forming a necklace, each engaging in symbolic actions:

• Two hands breaking a concha, representing shared sustenance and community.
• A hand holding a locket, signifying reverence for ancestors and their sacrifices.
• A hand grasping a timer, denoting the time we dedicate to others.
• A hand with falling Lotería cards, each symbolizing various personal sacrifices.

- El Sol (The Sun)/ Happiness- signifies the personal happiness we often set aside for the well-being of others

- La Rosa (The Rose)/Passion- signifies the passions and ambitions we may suppress to prioritize the needs of others.

- El Corazon (The Heart)/Love- represents unconditional love—for family, partners, friends—that compels acts of selflessness. This card embodies the willingness to endure heartbreak, loss, or vulnerability for the sake of deeper bonds and emotional protection of others.

- La Escalera (The Ladder)/Progress- The ladder is a symbol of ambition and personal advancement it represents the moments when we choose to delay or redirect our own progress to support those around us. Whether it's setting aside career goals, education, or personal development, La Escalera reflects the quiet sacrifices made when we put others' needs before our own, climbing not for individual achievement, but to lift others alongside us.

- La Dama (The Lady) -the sacrifices made through the act of nurturing others. In this context, vanity is not about superficial beauty, but rather the time and energy devoted to others, leaving little room for self-care. Whether as a mother, a partner, friend or a caregiver, she represents the personal ambitions set aside in favor of nurturing and supporting those around her.

• A hand clutching a chancla, reflecting the relinquishing of discipline for familial harmony.
• A hand presenting an egg, referencing the "ojo" superstition and the lengths we go to protect loved ones.

Hands in this piece symbolize the actions we take, both positive and negative that define our relationships and communities. They are silent accomplices in our lives, present from birth to death, facilitating creation through generations, our connections, and how we display our compassion for one another.