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Making Milagros with Karen Roberts Milagro means "miracle" in Spanish, and also refers to a traditional artwork popular throughout the Southwest, Mexico, and South America. Small charms made of copper, silver, brass, or gold are made in shapes symbolizing prayers, petitions, or thanks for blessings received. Many times these charms are left near statues of saints or the Virgin Mary, even pinned to the skirts of statues clothed in fabric. The charms are a literal representation of the wish-a heart shaped charm may be placed prior to heart surgery or for a wish of new love, an eye for strong vision, and so on. My milagros are an offshoot of some very similar textile work I saw in a catalog a number of years ago, work of indigenous women of South America. There are many ways to use the milagro concept. Related forms of Latin American Folk
Art include: Retablos--flat
panels depicting images of saints used in private worship, designed
to maintain close contact with the deity and encourage his or her
intercession upon one's behalf. Exvotos-This is thought of as "a personal thank you note to God." In most cases, the exvoto is signed and dated, and explains why the giver is giving thanks - what God did for him or her. The exvoto is most often left at a church altar. They are very public, yet very personal. You can make an ex-voto! Just create a depiction of a blessing-using any media and artform--that has come your way and leave it in a place that you identify with your deity, creator, spirit guide, or higher power. Gratitude is a helpful meditation, one that enriches us daily. The lesson to take away from these art forms are that the sacred merges with the everyday in many ways; we have but to notice. More Milagro's Advent 2004 Day 22 dealt with Milagros and Retablos as a form of creative expression.
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Symbolic Milagros by Karen Roberts
Exhibitions/Workshops Stephanie
Hansen - Papier Mache |
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