Live Blog #2 - Paul Druta

This altar stood out to me in showcasing the power and versatility of altar-making as an art form. Ofelia Esparza talked about how this altar is dedicated to Sister Karen, a nun who played an influential role in supporting the Chicano community in East Los Angeles. Sister Karen gave her heart to the community and one of the most visual ways she did this was by opening up her garden for everyone to enjoy it. This garden was the inspiration for the altar, as the various flowers and plants in the piece seem to emulate Sister Karen's famous garden. Altar-making is powerful because it is able to poignantly honor individuals or groups of people but it is especially versatile because its 3 dimensional form gives the artist so many different possible forms to take. This garden altar is so different from other altars that Ofelia Esparza has made and yet they all serve as resilience practices and community art.