Artist Statement
“SUITS OF SORROW”
A guide for the lost soul,
A warrior for the fearful mind,
A companion for the abandoned body,
A master to aid that crushed spirit.
In this series of illustrated cards, I explore my relationship with some of the characters I’ve created through the years. As I look back into the past, searching for the hidden meaning behind the origin of these protagonists, I soon realize they serve as mirrors of my turmoiled emotions and, through their visual configuration and backstories, they give me subtle clues of what is really happening in my inner world.
In these entities, that were once strangers, I unconsciously deposited not only aspects of my own daily experience, but certain characteristics or values I was trying to integrate into my life at the moment. Now, these characters have become reassuring friends. Friends that not only walk by my side in challenging moments, but know exactly what I need to overcome them; and they show me by example.
These characters are the embodiment of the clarity I want to possess, the courage I want to hold in the face of adversity, the patience and peace I want to maintain at moments where all my efforts fail, and the mastery I want to gain over my sometimes all-consuming emotions. Through their adventures, overcoming pain doesn’t seem as such a hard endeavor. After all, I created them and, if they could raise so gracefully from tragedy, so can I.