Califas Legacy Project: Carmen León

The interior nature of the pandemic times has made her think of the Ancestors and her own in particular.

Her medium is acrylics which yielded opportunities to work veils of color in transparent layers to form images.

Her father swam across the Rio Grande and her mother was stuck in Panama because she did not have enough for passage here.

Their incredible efforts to come to the US to provide opportunities to the subsequent generations continues to exert powerful influence and appreciation.

The calavera, or skeleton, is present in everyday life.

The female cactus figure provides a home for the spirit owl in the harsh desert environment.

Sustaining Carmen in these times are those stories and things of beauty, music, art. Her own shamanic practice is integrally woven into her traditions.

The butterflies in the dream (Sueño) are wearing ceremonial robes. Shape-shifting creatures join us in our dreams.

Who would you choose as your spirit guide?

The spirit bear guides the figures in the boat across the water.

She encourages the next generation and girls in particular to not lose sight and don’t lose heart from that which you dream to do. She cautions people to try not to be distracted by all the activities of life

Keep faith but remember that we are here for such a short amount of time “Where we can make a difference, even if it is just incremental, personal connection that will be the critical thing in our lives, our legacy. That’s it.”