Curated by Yazmín García
In partnership with the Consulate of Mexico in Las Vegas, with support from the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art
The Story Behind the Exhibition:
Flor de Cactus is a group exhibition featuring 12 local artists whose work explores themes of identity, culture, memory, healing, and belonging.
Inspired by the cactus flower, the exhibition reflects the beauty and resilience that can emerge even in challenging conditions. Like the flower that blooms in the desert, these artists share stories rooted in personal experience, community, family, and cultural heritage.
Through painting, photography, mixed media, digital art, and video, Flor de Cactus celebrates the diverse voices that help shape our community. Together, these works invite visitors to reflect on their own journeys while honoring the strength, creativity, and connection that allow us to grow and thrive.
Curated and juried by Yazmín García, Flor de Cactus is rooted in culture and blooming in community.
Meet the Artists
Every artist in Flor de Cactus brings a unique perspective and story to this exhibition. Together, their work reflects the resilience, creativity, and cultural richness of our community.
I'm incredibly grateful to each artist for trusting me with their work and for helping bring this exhibition to life. I hope you'll take a moment to learn more about them and experience the stories behind each piece.
Alexander Hernandez Chang
IG: @chang_estudio
About Artist:
SPANISH: Alexander Hernández Chang (Sancti Spíritus, Cuba,1987) artista visual cubano radicado en Las Vegas, Nevada, Estados Unidos. Máster en Identidad Cultural y Licenciado en Artes Visuales por la Universidad José Martí Peres de Sancti Spíritus, Cuba. Ha participado en más de 50 exposiciones colectivas en Cuba, Venezuela, México,
Alemania, Perú, Colombia y Estados Unidos. Ha realizado exposiciones personales en Cuba, México y Venezuela. Recientemente participó en la Feria de Arte Superfine Art en San Francisco, California, y New York, representados por la Arts After Dark Gallery.
ENGLISH: Alexander Hernandez Chang (Sancti Spíritus, Cuba, 1987) is a Cuban visual artist based in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. He holds a Master's degree in Cultural Identity and a Bachelor's degree in Visual Arts from José Martí Pérez University in Sancti Spíritus, Cuba.
He has participated in more than 50 group exhibitions in Cuba, Venezuela, Mexico, Germany, Peru, Colombia, and the United States. He has also presented solo exhibitions in Cuba, Mexico, and Venezuela.
Most recently, he participated in the Superfine Art Fair in San Francisco, California, and New York, represented by Arts After Dark Gallery.
Artwork Title: Todo Lo Llevo Conmigo
Medium: Óleo Sobre Lienzo (Oil on Canvas)
Dimensions: 29 x 17 pulgadas (29 x 17 inches)
Year: 2026
Price: $850
Artwork Description:
SPANISH: Todo lo llevo conmigo aborda la memoria como un espacio en el que la identidad, la migración y la pertenencia se entrelazan. A partir de un retrato familiar representado como una fotografía antigua, doblada y desgastada por el tiempo, la obra evoca los rastros que
Dejan los desplazamientos y las historias heredadas. Las marcas de humedad, los pliegues y el deterioro no hablan de desaparición, sino de permanencia. Como la memoria cultural, la imagen resiste y acompaña. El retrato se convierte en un símbolo de aquello que permanece con nosotros a pesar de la distancia, recordándonos que la identidad se construye a partir de los vínculos, los recuerdos y los territorios que llevamos dentro.
ENGLISH: Todo Lo Llevo Conmigo - I carry everything with me explores memory as a space where identity, migration, and belonging intertwine. Through a family portrait depicted as an old photograph, folded and worn by time, the work evokes the traces left behind by displacement and inherited histories.
The water stains, creases, and signs of deterioration do not speak of disappearance, but of permanence. Like cultural memory, the image endures and remains with us. The portrait becomes a symbol of what stays with us despite distance, reminding us that identity is shaped by the relationships, memories, and places we carry within ourselves.
Brandon Lopez
About Artist:
Brandon Lopez was born and raised in Las Vegas. He graduated from New York University with a bachelor's in History. He’s been painting for over 10 years. His family is from Jalisco, Mexico, and his background heavily influences his art practice. Brandon is naturally curious and loves to learn, constantly looking for ways to challenge himself—whether that means fixing up old cars or putting his vision on canvas. Ultimately, Brandon uses his art to understand better himself and the world he lives in.
Artwork Title: Sophia’s Roses
Medium: Oil on canvas paper
Dimension: 10x16 in
Year: 2025
Price: NFS
Artwork Description:
Painted during my time in Brooklyn, New York, this piece captures the city's contrasts. The image represents what that chapter of my life felt like—a constant struggle, but one that was deeply beautiful.
Camile Lovaz
About Artist:
Camile Lovaz is a Mexican-American artist who was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. Lovaz received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting from UNLV in 2025, where she began creating artwork that explored her identity as a Latina.
As she explored religious iconography and sacredness in her culture, Lovaz began to question the separation of divinity and humanity and explore the heavy impact that the Catholic religion has had on shaping Mexican-American culture today. Through her fictional muses’ ambiguous interactions, she dives into the internal conflicts of religion, specifically the cultural idolization and comparison of ethereal icons and young Latinas.
She has exhibited her artwork throughout Las Vegas, including at UNLV, the Consulado de México in Las Vegas, the Debra March Center of Excellence, Chicanos Por La Causa, and The Composer’s Room.
IG: @LovazStudio
Artwork Title: Going, Going, Gone
Medium: Oil Paint on Canvas and acrylic board inside a wooden shadow box.
Dimensions: 63 1/2 in x 37 3/4 in x 9 1/5 in
Year: 2025
Price: $1,600
Artwork Description:
An otherworldly yet oddly familiar presence, one comes face to face with what was once something grand. A divine being who now roams this world in search of themselves, with her last known image left on wood, forever sacred. But do remain close, it seems she still has something left to say. An artwork that explores the awe of divine figures.
Artwork Name: Apapachame
Medium: Oil Paint on Wood
Dimension: 72 in x 23 1/2 in
Year: 2025
Price: $1,100
Artwork Description:
Separated by dimensions of glass and canvas, overwhelming despair pulls flesh and bones to the ground as something greater watches from behind, but who will save us from this, you or I? A piece that explores an inner monologue of hope, open to interpretation of who will reply.
Constanza Castro
About Artist:
Constanza Castro is a Mexican visual artist whose work transforms memory into image. Since beginning her painting practice in 2009, following the loss of her maternal grandfather, she has developed a distinctive visual language rooted in the reinterpretation of photographs. Working from personal, family, and archival images, Castro explores themes of memory, identity, and emotional inheritance, creating intimate works that invite viewers to engage with the stories embedded within each image.
Her work has been exhibited in Mexico and internationally, earning recognition for its evocative exploration of personal history and feminine experience.
In addition to her visual art practice, Castro is an award-winning filmmaker, writer, producer, and co-founder of 271 Films. Her film, commercial, and branded-content work has been featured on HBO and Amazon and screened at Sundance, AFI Fest, and Tribeca. In 2021, she was named Nevada Female Filmmaker of the Year. She lives and works between Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Mexico City.
Artwork Title: Pretty in Pink with a Touch of Melancholy
Medium: acrylic on canvas
Dimension: 29 × 29 cm
Year: 2009
Price: NFS
Artwork Title: Hortensia y Yo
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Dimension: 92 x 92 cm
Year: 2021
Price: NFS
Artwork Description:
In December 2021, I had the opportunity to participate in an artist residency in Oaxaca, where Hortensia — the mother of one of my closest friends — lives.
Hortensia invited me into her home, and together we cooked mole. That afternoon, I took a photograph of her that captivated me: a face full of life, peace, wisdom, and the traces of years lived.
I decided to paint Hortensia to commemorate that afternoon in her village in Oaxaca.
I am deeply passionate about immortalizing women I admire — women whose stories intertwine with my own and reflect the weight and beauty of history within their lives.
David Andrade
IG: @thecousindave
About Artist:
David Andrade is a Las Vegas-based photographer who creates images focused on people, story, and atmosphere.
David's journey into photography began while backpacking through South America in his twenties. What started as a way to document the world quickly became a way to connect with people, understand places, and tell meaningful stories.
Photography has taken David around the world, including disaster zones with World Central Kitchen, photographing gang members at Homeboy Industries, and shooting hard news for Telemundo. He specializes in portraits, documentary work, and editorial-style imagery.
David's approach is heavily influenced by photojournalism. Rather than chasing perfection, his focus is on creating images that feel honest, cinematic, and human.
David's favorite place to photograph people is Mexico.
Artwork Title: Girl Running Around Elote Cart
Medium: Digital Photograph
Dimension: 28x36
Year: 2019
Price: $700
Artwork Description:
I shot this photo in Oaxaca de Juárez during Semana Santa in 2019 while traveling solo. At the time, I was going through one of the most difficult periods of my life. After losing possession of two restaurants I owned in Los Angeles and facing bankruptcy, I felt lost and uncertain about my future.
Amid that turmoil, I found a moment of clarity watching children play without a care in the world. This photograph reminds me that we are never too old to play and that life's simplest moments often matter most.
Oaxaca embraced me when I needed it most. The mothers and grandmothers who fed me from their street carts nurtured a part of my soul that had long felt disconnected, as I grew up in the United States with the feeling of being "ni de aquí ni de allá."
Mexico gave me strength when I needed it most and reminded me that I am a descendant of history's mightiest warriors and that in the middle of this personal battle was exactly where I needed to be.
Note from the Artist:
I am deeply grateful to be able to show this photograph in the Mexican Consulate.
I have a strong sense of admiration and respect for the people I met in Oaxaca, and hope to properly honor their participation in my photography and experience by showing my work to the various visitors and dignitaries who visit the consulate.
This photo is part of a larger body of work that was used to create a photography zine, which can be found at:
Elsa Cantu
IG: @ecphoto03
About Artist:
Hi, I'm Elsa Cantu, a photojournalist and visual storyteller born and raised in the vibrant Mexico City, now living in Las Vegas, Nevada. My passion for photography began in 2011, when I had the opportunity to cover Barack Obama's campaign. Since then, my camera has become an extension of myself, allowing me to capture unique moments at conventions, concerts, and high-profile events.
I've had the privilege of interviewing figures I deeply admire, such as Salma Hayek, Guillermo del Toro, and Tim Burton, and each experience has enriched my vision as an artist. For me, photography is much more than images; it's a way to preserve memories, to tell stories that words can't express. It's, in essence, a time machine that allows us to relive those moments over and over again.
My Mexican roots are present in every photo I take, reflecting my culture and the experiences that have shaped my life. Whether covering local or international events, I always seek to capture the essence of people and places, creating images that not only look, but also feel.
Thank you for taking the time to get to know me and explore my work. I hope my images connect you with the emotions and stories I try to tell through my lens. Welcome to my visual world!
Artwork Title: Donde Jugaran los Niños
Medium: Photography
Dimension: 30x20
Year: 2020
Price: $333
Artwork Description:
Created during the uncertainty of the 2020 pandemic, Donde Jugarán los Niños emerged from a period of deep reflection, solitude, and reconnection with the natural world. As the world slowed down and human activity retreated, I found myself drawn to the vast silence of the Nevada desert—a place that became both sanctuary and teacher.
This photograph explores the relationship between childhood, memory, and belonging. The desert landscape symbolizes resilience and endurance, while also serving as a bridge to my Mexican roots and the ancestral wisdom that has guided my family for generations. In a time marked by fear, isolation, and loss, nature offered a sense of peace and continuity, reminding me that life persists even through the most challenging seasons.
The title, Donde Jugarán los Niños (“Where Will the Children Play?”), Reflects a question that felt especially relevant during a moment when playgrounds were empty, communities were separated, and the future seemed uncertain. It is both a meditation on the world we leave for future generations and a tribute to the innocence, hope, and imagination that endure despite adversity.
Through this work, I honor the quiet voices of my ancestors, whose strength lives within me, and the healing power of the land itself. The image invites viewers to pause, reconnect with their own roots, and find beauty in stillness, even during times of profound transformation.
Artwork Title: “Círculo de 3 generaciones”
Medium: Photography (Durango, México)
Dimensions: 30x20
Year: 2014
Price: $333
Artwork Description:
Captured at my grandmother’s ranch in Mexico, Círculo de 3 Generaciones is a deeply personal photograph that preserves a fleeting moment between three women connected by blood, memory, and love. At the time, I was pregnant with my youngest daughter, Luciana, carrying the future within me while witnessing the beautiful bond between my grandmother and my daughter Samantha.
Every evening, Samantha and my abuela would sit together to play Lotería. Despite the differences in their ages and experiences, they had discovered their own language—one built on laughter, shared rituals, and quiet companionship. Watching them interact was like witnessing a bridge between generations, where wisdom flowed naturally from one soul to another.
This image represents three stages of life existing simultaneously: my grandmother, the keeper of our family’s stories and traditions; Samantha, embodying curiosity and innocence; and Luciana, still waiting to enter the world. Together, they form an unbroken circle of ancestry, legacy, and continuity.
What makes this photograph especially meaningful is that it was the last portrait in which I could capture my grandmother’s essence so completely. A few years later, she transcended to the next dimension in Monterrey, Mexico. Looking back, this image feels less like a photograph and more like a gift—a sacred pause in time that preserved her spirit, her warmth, and the love she shared with her family.
Círculo de 3 Generaciones is a testament to the importance of family, the wisdom passed between generations, and the precious moments that often reveal their true significance only years later. It reminds us that while our loved ones may leave this physical world, their presence lives on within us, carried forward through stories, traditions, and the generations that follow.
Note from Artist:
Throughout my life, art and film have been more than creative outlets; they have been guides, teachers, and lifelines. In moments of uncertainty, grief, healing, and transformation, they have helped me make sense of the world and my place within it. As an artist, a mother, an immigrant, and a human being constantly evolving, I have often found answers in images, stories, and the courage of those who dared to create before me.
During my recovery from many difficulties in my life, I turned the camera toward myself, documenting not only the healing of my body but also the emotional and mental journey that accompanied it. In those quiet moments, I reflected on the many roles women carry and the invisible weight of being the support system for those we love. Creating became a way to stay connected to myself, to process my experiences, and to remember that vulnerability can be a source of strength.
Art has taught me resilience. Film has taught me empathy. Photography has taught me to see beauty even in difficult chapters. These creative practices have guided me through motherhood, through the challenges of building a life far from my homeland, and through the ongoing process of discovering who I am. They have reminded me that growth is rarely comfortable, but it is always possible.
As an immigrant, I carry the stories of my ancestors, my culture, and the experiences of crossing both physical and emotional borders. Through my work, I hope to honor those journeys while creating space for others to see themselves reflected in the narrative. Every photograph, film, and artwork becomes a bridge between personal experience and collective memory.
My greatest hope is that my work inspires others to continue their own creative journeys. You do not need permission to tell your story. You do not need to be fearless to create. Art belongs to everyone willing to show up, learn, heal, and grow through the process. If my work encourages even one person to pick up a camera, write a story, paint a canvas, or believe in their voice, then the journey has been worthwhile.
Haide Calle
IG: @ternura_lv
About Artist:
Haide Calle is a Vegas-based artist, ceramicist, and social activist. Calle aims to affirm her dual indigenous and immigrant identity and to help others do the same. She has been an advocate for street vendors and has raised awareness for undocumented families with the Fifth Sun Project, an Indigenous-focused nonprofit in Vegas. In doing work that utilizes organic and repurposed materials, she creates sculptural bodies that reflect resistance through pride in cultural maintenance and comfort in displacement.
Artwork Title: MMIWR
Medium: Acrylic on panel
Dimension: 24" x 24"
Year: 2026
Price: NFS
Artwork Description:
This painting commemorates the connective support and grief we hold as indigenous women and the care and space we continue to hold to not only heal ourselves from violence but others as well. By continuing to have hope and see ourselves converting these hard times into times of joy and pride, as seen in the Annual Local Prayer Walk for Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women & Relatives in Vegas, we continue to advocate for justice, awareness, and policy changes to protect Indigenous women and girls.
Note from the Artist:
It was a raffle prize for the 5th Annual Local Prayer Walk for Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women & Relatives that Her 38 Roses, Fifthsun Project, and Indigenous Vision planned out this year.
Karla Lagunas
About Artist:
Karla Lagunas is a multidisciplinary artist whose immersive environments blend painting, sculpture, performance, and installation. Using materials such as canvas, wood, and rope, she constructs spaces that are both tactile and conceptual, critiquing assimilation and survival within the hegemonic structures of American life. Led by her experience as the first-born daughter of Mexican immigrants in Las Vegas, her work embraces vulnerability and spectacle as she explores art as a site of connection, critique, and self-actualization.
Artwork Title: 1996?
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimension: 18"×24"
Year: 2022
Price: $800
Artwork Description:
My family moved to Las Vegas from Mexico 30 years ago this August. When my parents first moved into this apartment depicted here, we had no furniture, but my brother and I still had a plethora of stuffed animals.
Artwork Title: Tranquila
Medium: Video
Dimension/Time: 5:41
Year: 2026
Price: NFS
Artwork Description:
My family was lucky enough to receive the immigration paperwork necessary to visit Mexico in 2000. I have family members who did not have that ability for decades. Growing up, I spent my summers in Guanajuato. This video is an attempt to share the split spirit of my upbringing.
Mariana Romero Martínez
IG: @mariana.ro.art
About Artist:
Mariana Romero is a Mexican artist based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her work explores the deepest sensations of herself. She draws inspiration from her vibrant Latino heritage, nature, and life experiences. In her textiles, vivid and colorful threads move, echoing the colors of the flora and fauna that inhabit her dreams. She depicts beautiful and strong portraits of women of brown skin that represent the creation and protection of life.
These textiles serve not only as artistic expressions but also as reflections of the delicate balance between human existence and the environment. She seeks to create awareness to protect and restore the delicate balance between nature and humans by making slow and intentional pieces of art that speak deeply to the viewer.
Artwork Title: Útero Sagrado- Sacred Womb
Medium: Hand-stitched embroidery
Dimension: 30" diameter
Year: 2026
Price: NFS
Artwork Description:
“Sacred Womb”- “Útero Sagrado” was conceived while pursuing fertility. The baby is protected inside a seed, nourished by the mother’s nectar.
Ginkgo Biloba leaves mean fertility and femininity to me. Nowadays, couples are experiencing high rates of infertility due to age and several lifestyle factors. Women go through tough mental, spiritual, and physical journeys in the pursuit of motherhood.
This artwork was inspired by those women who are struggling through infertility. This artwork is the manifestation of my own journey.
Artwork Description:
Mujer de Santiago is the brown skin goddess who symbolizes all Latin-American indigenous women who hand-stitch every piece of clothing, weave tapestries, and hand-dye threads every day to feed their families.
They are the head and heart of their homes. They work under the trees, under the flowers of the jungle, and under the sun.
Despite how little they earn, they keep doing it. They have no other options. Their love for their kids is so infinite that they keep stitching their lives.
This artwork is an homage to them.
The circle panels on my work represent the cycles in nature, which means renewal and transformation. Circles are a representation of unity, protection, and spiritual alignment.
Artwork Title: Mujer de Santiago
Medium: Yarn Painting - Glued yarn on wood panel
Dimensions: 75"x35"
Year: 2024
Price Sale: $3,200
Pablo Gonzalez Flores
About Artist:
Pablo Gonzalez Flores is a multidisciplinary artist based in Las Vegas, Nevada, whose work explores evolving forms of expression through three collections: one investigating the invisible and interconnected nature of all things, another merging humanity and nature through zoomorphic forms, and a third emphasizing experiential engagement with art.
Working across Interactive paintings, installations, public art, and gallery exhibitions, he has exhibited the Original Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit. He is a recipient of the Nevada Arts Council FY24 Project Grant.
Artwork Title: Eternal Flight of Monarchs Souls
Medium: Acrylic
Dimension: 20 x 40
Year: 2022
Price: $1,400
Artwork Description:
The Monarch butterfly’s migration from Canada to Mexico is a powerful expression of continuity across generations. Their arrival during Día de los Muertos is believed to carry the souls of departed loved ones home, transforming their journey into a sacred return. As symbols of transformation and renewal, the Monarchs embody the cyclical nature of life and death, reminding us of our connection to memory, ancestry, and the enduring flow between worlds.
Artwork Title: Pineapple Sunflower
Medium: Oil
Dimension: 10 x 10
Year: 2021
Price: NFS
Artwork Description:
Art in Times of Pandemic: I created zoomorphic flowers as a fusion of nature and human experience. This body of work is my representation of the coronavirus, an expression of its impact, its transformations, and the deeply human experiences it brought into our lives.
At the center of each flower is a reflection of our individual experiences: some bitter, others sweet, like a pineapple, and others sour, like a lime. For some, this period was marked by profound loss; for others, it offered moments of closeness and time with family.
The center forms a symbolic circle, representing isolation and the six-foot distance that reshaped our connections. Surrounding it, the petals vary in shape and size, symbolizing the many mutations of the virus. As the virus evolved, so did each painting, making every piece a unique reflection of the COVID-19 experience.
Rosina Nieves
IG: @rn.imagen
About Artist:
About the Artist: Rosina Nieves is a Mexican-American mixed-media artist who fuses essential elements of both her cultures within her work. Nieves is influenced by the phrase “no somos de aquí ni de allá.” This translates into: “We are not from here (USA) nor there (Mexico).” Through her work, Nieves believes there is beauty in being part of two cultures, and her goal is to bring them together to create a new sense of identity.
Nieves intertwines both of her cultures of origin, utilizing embroidery, fabric, flowers, lace, corn husks, and other items from her Mexican roots, and her love of Western Renaissance art from her U.S. arts education. Nieves intermingles these materials with her passion for the Renaissance, which emphasizes the individual, chiaroscuro, detailed backgrounds, and harmony and balance. In this way, Nieves creates artworks that live in the liminal space, just as she does.
Artwork Description:
I utilize embroidered flower patches inspired by my Mexican roots to distort the portrait of the woman in my work. This allows me to show that femininity can be amorphous and imperfect. My work expresses how imperfection in femininity can be empowering.
Artwork Title: Overgrown
Medium: Digital print on matte canvas, torn prints, flower patches
Dimension: 21 in x 22 in
Year: 2025
Price: NFS
Yazmin Garcia
About Artist:
Yazmín García is a first-generation Mexican-American visual artist based in Las Vegas, Nevada. She was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Her artwork blends digital and mixed media and explores themes of healing, identity, culture, motherhood, immigration, and belonging.
Inspired by her experiences as a First-Gen mother, eldest daughter, and cycle-breaker, her work tells stories that reflect resilience, healing, and community.
She is also the founder of Sagrario Arte Studio, a creative practice rooted in connection, community, and healing. Her work has been exhibited throughout Southern Nevada, including at the Consulate of Mexico in Las Vegas. In 2026, her piece Raíces con Trenzas received Best in Show at the Clark County Government Center Rotunda Gallery.
Artwork Title: Alma de Mariposa (Butterfly Soul)
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Dimension: 24 in × 18 in
Year: 2024
Price: $600
Artwork Description:
Alma de Mariposa captures the journey of healing, inspired by the phrase, “Trauma is not your fault, but healing is your responsibility.” This piece reflects the transformation that comes when chaos gives way to peace, offering hope for a brighter path forward.
For years, I doubted myself and my art, fearing failure and rejection. Through this work, I’ve learned that peace is not boredom but the ground where growth begins.
The hands represent our ability to shape destiny and take ownership of healing. The evil eye reminds us that not everyone will understand or support our path, and that is okay. At the center, the butterfly symbolizes patience and transformation. Just as it emerges from its cocoon, we too bloom into versions of ourselves we can be proud of.
Rooted in the wisdom of the land, this artwork honors how healing mirrors nature. Butterflies depend on plants, flowers, and ecosystems to thrive, reminding us that growth is interconnected and cyclical. Alma de Mariposa stands as both a personal testimony and a universal reminder: healing, like nature, is slow, intentional, and sacred.
Artwork Title: First Gen Healing
Medium: Mixed Media - Digital Print on Stretched Canvas with Acrylic
Dimension: 22 in x 34 in
Year: 2026
Price: $600
Artwork Description:
Raíces con Trenzas is a digital triptych that celebrates both heritage and womanhood through the intimate lens of generational memory, identity, and self-reflection.
As an immigrant and advocate, this piece reflects the stories we carry across borders, the memories we hold dear, the generations we fight for, and the identities we refuse to erase. This artwork explores lineage and the journey of being a woman, the way we evolve, heal, and carry each version of ourselves forward. It serves as a tribute to the quiet power of mujeres and the sacred, simple threads that keep us connected.
The artwork features three framed portraits: a grandmother, a girl, and a young woman. They are positioned side by side, each within a Mexican-style window. These windows serve not only as frames but also as mirrors, reflecting who we were, who we are, and who we are becoming in life, womanhood, and across generations.
Yarn weaves across all three panels, symbolizing the invisible yet unbreakable thread that connects us to our ancestors, each other, and ourselves. We embody our mothers, our daughters, and our past selves all at once. Below each figure, tiles bloom with two roses and one butterfly, a symbol of femininity, courage, and transformation.
Artwork Title: Corazón en Vientre (Heart in Stomach)
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Dimension: 24 in × 18 in
Year: 2024
Price: $600
Artwork Description:
Corazón en Vientre is a tribute to motherhood, created while I was pregnant with my first child. Becoming a mother transforms everything: our bodies, our minds, and our hearts. When my daughter was born, it felt as if my heart had left my chest and now lived outside of me. This piece reflects that overwhelming love while also honoring the vulnerability and loss of self that often accompany motherhood.
The camellia flower represents the yearning to become a mother. The suns symbolize new beginnings and the light of life. The spikes and cut limbs on the body reflect how unfamiliar our bodies can feel after birth. This work acknowledges that it is okay not to love every part of motherhood, while recognizing the resilience, healing, and strength it requires.
Inspired by Tonantzin, the Nahuatl word for “our mother” and a title for the Aztec goddess of fertility and Earth, this piece ties the sacred power of creating life to land, healing, and renewal. Corazón en Vientre connects Indigenous teachings with personal experience, serving as a universal tribute to the resilience of mothers, the healing power of earth, and the sacredness of life itself.
Artwork Title: Raíces con Trenzas (Roots with Braids)
Medium: Triptych- Each 15” x 25” and Total Size: 45” x 25”
Dimension: 2025
Year: 2025
Price: $650 (Full triptych set)
Artwork Description:
First Gen Healing reflects what it means to grow up as a first-generation daughter, learning to carry two worlds at once, translating papers, emotions, and dreams long before you fully understand your own. It speaks to the quiet, unspoken weight we carry in immigrant families, the kind that isn’t always spoken aloud but lives in our bodies.
The Monarca wings honor our ancestors who crossed borders with nothing but faith and fear in their pockets. The burning corazones hold that mix of pride, pain, pressure, and love we carry as we walk paths our families never had the chance to.
This piece is my love letter to the cycle breakers, the ones learning to rest, to breathe, and to choose themselves. It is for every first-generation soul rewriting their story with tenderness and courage.
Artwork Title: Creci Aqui Nopa
Medium: Digital Painting on Canvas
Dimensions: 14 in x 11 in
Year: 2025
Price: NFS
Artwork Description:
The nopal has always symbolized strength to me, soft on the inside, protected on the outside, growing even in the harshest landscapes. “Crecí Aquí Nopal” reflects that same strength in our community and in our identity. I placed the nopal in a pot with cultural designs to honor the places that shaped us. We grow in two worlds, sometimes unsure, always adapting. But like the nopal, we bloom anyway. This piece is a reminder that where we come from is our superpower, not our limitation.
Thank You
Thank you for taking the time to experience Flor de Cactus.
To the artists, thank you for trusting me with your work and allowing me to help share your stories with our community. Your creativity, vulnerability, and passion are what made this exhibition possible.
To everyone who visited, supported, shared, and celebrated this exhibition, thank you for believing in local artists and the power of art to bring people together.
A special thank you to the Consulate of Mexico in Las Vegas and the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art for your partnership and support throughout this journey.
I hope Flor de Cactus reminds you that, like the cactus flower, we all have the strength to keep growing, adapting, and blooming in our own time.
Con cariño,
Yazmín García
Curator & Juror
