section. bubble #1, heartbreak & grief

this self-portrait, inspired by the 3 of swords card in tarot, captures my feelings of heartbreak, grief, and betrayal after the abrupt end of a COVID quarantine romantic relationship. the swords with rose-tipped handles are based on swords of spanish colonizers—who with their european counterparts—have plundered the hearts, voices, and riches of indigenous peoples for over 500 years. the the red heliconia collinsiana plant is local to the jalisco region of mexico, where I painted the mural. it has yellow fruit that i embellished to represent the tender healing forces that supported coping and healing during all phases of the pandemic. this was the first bubble i painted. i drew and erased it four times before landing on imagery i loved. completing this bubble greatly increased my confidence that i could complete the rest of the mural.