Week 4 Ofelia Esparza

I really enjoyed our guest speaker Ofelia Esparza’s presentation last week. I truly felt her energy and wisdom move me as she told her life and art story. It made me realize the importance and true art behind altars and altaristas. There are so many layers to the intimacy of an altar. It is a bridge from us and our physical world to our ancestors and allows us to pay them homage. By giving them ofrendas and thanking them for their presence in your lineage you are acknowledging your own life and affirming your appreciation for it. The intimacy and character of an altar comes with the personalization of it, how she’s added Its also a way to keep your ancestors alive, allowing their energy to fill your home by keeping them part of your daily routine and celebrating them. She also mentioned she would get a lot of help making the flowers from her family and they would create some of the altars together, to me that made me think of a ceremony which feels more spiritual and a more community-like activity. She definitely made me want to connect with my ancestors more through my art and to constantly have them in my memory.