Inspiration: Frida Kahlo’s life and paintings depict so much pain, suffering and hopelessness that for this challenge I wanted to combine two of her paintings “Self Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird 1940” and “The Wounded Deer 1946” and give it a more uplifting feel.

Here I depicted Frida as Mother Earth – symbolizing femininity, nature, growth, new life, and groundedness. Since this is also the time of migrating Monarch butterflies to Mexico, I added Monarch butterflies to represent strength, endurance, spirituality, trust, transformation and evolution. The roots are connecting and intertwined with what she loved, the blue cactus represent her Casa Azul. I also added stylized antlers with shades of blue flowers blooming representing hope and new beginnings.

Materials: hand dyed cotton bed linen, commercial fabrics, gauze for the mountains, a used dryer sheet for the moon and sun, blue organza cactus representing Casa Azul, 3 D fringed yard, machine embroidery, free motion quilting, raw edge appliqué and crystal earrings, hand dyed raffia for the roots, photo transfer, acrylic paints, DMC embroidery floss from my mother’s collection for the French knots and cactus thorns.

Detail views: