07/21/2026
Colored pencil and alcohol marker on 8x10” paper
Felt inspired by Frida a couple times this year.
I came across her “Las dos Fridas” piece for the first time in a new art book I bought and learned of her inspiration and meaning behind that piece. Was enlightened for a bit after because I felt similarities to a piece I had completed early last year during a rush of emotion. At first I was looking at this from the high level lens of the dual self portrait layout and contrast over heartbreak at different stages, but then I looked closer at the symbolism in her piece and saw she had made the familiar choice on her healed version to have veins off her heart wrap around her arm.
How impactful is that through a different experience entirely, you’re able to still find connection and feel seen by a separate piece of work almost a century prior? That solidified the perspective for me that it’s so important for us to create when we’re drawn to do so whether through heightened emotions or just life experiences. You never know who’s going to see your piece and feel seen and comforted by the fact that there was once someone else out there who endured similarly and overcame.
That’s something unique and beautiful to the human experience and connection. AI art could never resonate that deeply!
But yea after that I went to the Moma and saw the Frida and Diego exhibit and that stuff was crazy inspiring in itself too ofc
