THE STORY OF MY LOSS
EXPRESSED THROUGH PAINTINGS
Facing
the Abyss
The Grief Series was born from the profound darkness of my life following the loss of my husband. These paintings do not seek beauty in sorrow. They offer a candid exploration of the upheaval that grief brings. This series captures the journey of finding hope once again.

Creating Without
Boundaries
In this series, I relinquish any pretense of control as best I could at the time. Much like confronting grief, the creative process demands that I let intuition steer my mark-making process to uncover my own narrative. With acrylics, charcoal, and graphite, I let the materials dictate the story. There was no plan, only a profound urgency to express what words could not—rage, sorrow, confusion, and the fleeting moments of clarity that emerged.
A Shared Struggle:
Art and Life
Although grief is a deeply personal journey, it’s something we all encounter. This series doesn’t aim to offer comfort in the conventional sense. Instead, it mirrors the complex emotions we wrestle with and must eventually accept.
It explores the emociones encontradas, those disorienting feelings that knock us off balance.
Recognizing the conflict between the reality of our true feelings and our expectations of how we should feel creates a profound sense of confusion, much like reaching the uncertain and chaotic phase of a painting where the initial plan was absent. The disarray of emotions, while overwhelming and frightening, is a necessary space filled with creative potential. Our challenge is to step into the uncomfortable unknown and move forward towards a new sense of self.
Vulnerability Without a Mask
These paintings reflect my dedication to authenticity, presenting myself fully without concealment or embellishment. The Grief Series captures the strength needed to embrace vulnerability by laying bare the wounds and scars left by grief. More crucially, my work extends hope, as it represents a journey of self-rediscovery and learning to live with loss. A painting begins with something, anything, then after layers upon layers, it transforms into a story about healing and understanding.

CHURCH AND CACTUS, R Garcia-Franco. Mixed media, 30.5cm x 30.5cm, wood panel, #1011. $500 USD

FLOATING FEELINGS, R. Garcia-Franco. Mixed media, 30.5cm x 30.5cm, wood panel, #1027. $500 USD

FLOWERS AND PINK WALL, R. Garcia-Franco. Mixed media, 30.5cm x 30.5cm, wood panel, #1013. $500 USD

ORANGE NIGHT SKY, R Garcia-Franco. Acrylic, 50.5 cm x 40cm, canvas, #2024. $675 USD

LIGHTHOUSE IN MY DREAMS, R Garcia-Franco. Mixed media, 13cm x 18cm, canvas panel, #1012. $120 USD

UNDER THE BLUE TUMULT, R Garcia-Franco. Mixed media, 30.5cm x 30.5cm, wood panel, #1003. $500 USD

MOON, SUN, CACTUS, R Garcia-Franco. Mixed media, 25.5cm x 20.5cm, canvas panel, #1015. $300 USD

ORANGE AND LIGHT GREEN, R Garcia-Franco. Mixed media, 13cm x 18cm, canvas panel, #1014. $120 USD

ENDURING PULSE, R Garcia-Franco. Acrylic, 30.5cm x30.5cm, wood panel, #1022. $500 USD

ALMOST ONE YEAR, R Garcia-Franco. Mixed media, 30.5cm x 30.5cm, wood panel, #1020. $500 USD

ONE DAY I’LL REACH YOU, R Garcia-Franco. Mixed media, 30.5cm x 30.5cm, wood panel, #1018. $500 USD

EXPLORATION, R Garcia-Franco. Acrylic, 45.5cm x 60.5cm, canvas, #1023. $855 USD

FAR AWAY BEACON, R Garcia-Franco. Mixed media, 18cm x 13cm, canvas panel, #1021. $120 USD

REACHING REACHING, R Garcia-Franco. Mixed media, 18cm x 13cm, wood panel, #1019. $120 USD

JOY BETWEEN GRIEF, R Garcia-Franco. Mixed media, 60cm x 50cm, canvas, #1000. $885 USD

ORANGE IN AUTUMN, R Garcia-Franco. Mixed media, 30.5cm x 30.5cm, wood panel, #1010. $500 USD

ORANGE NIGHT SKY, R Garcia-Franco. Acrylic, 50.5cm x 40cm, canvas, #2024. $675 USD

JULY IN PINK, R Garcia-Franco. Mixed media, 30.5cm x 30.5cm, wood panel, #1017. $500 USD

WATERING FLOWERS, R Garcia-Franco. Mixed media, 60cm x 80cm, canvas, #1001. $1,200 USD

FLIGHTLESS BIRD AND FLOWERS, R Garcia-Franco. Mixed media, 30.5cm x30.5cm, wood panel, #1008. $500 USD

GREEN ABOVE PINK AND RED, R Garcia-Franco. Mixed media, 30.5cm x 30.5cm, wood panel, #1016. $500 USD

FLIGHTLESS BIRD AND TREE, R Garcia-Franco. Mixed media, 30.5cm x30.5cm, wood panel, #1009. $500 USD

FLIGHTLESS, R Garcia-Franco. Mixed media, 30.5cm x 30.5cm, wood panel, #1007. $500 USD

COFFEE AND MAKING CAKE, R Garcia-Franco. Mixed media, 50cm x 60cm, canvas, #1002. $885 USD

GREEN AND YELLOW ON BLUE, R Garcia-Franco. Mixed media, 60cm x 80cm, canvas, #1004. $1,200 USD

FLIGHTLESS BIRD, TREES, VILLAGE, R Garcia-Franco. Mixed media, 60cm x 50cm, canvas, #1025. $885 USD

CLOUDS OVER BRONZE, R Garcia-Franco. Mixed media, 60cm x 80cm, canvas, #1005. $1,200 USD

MOON, RAIN, HAIL, POWER OUTAGE, R Garcia-Franco. Mixed media, 60cm x 80 cm, canvas, #1006. $1,200 USD
Confronting Grief:
A Meditation
Grief can render us silent, making words feel elusive. In one of my moments of creative block, I turned to ChatGPT for assistance in crafting a meditation that proved helpful to me. By integrating this meditation with the experience of viewing my paintings, I hope to inspire you to approach your own journey through loss with mindfulness, free of judgment, and with a creative spirit. This awareness can help you live more consciously and fully appreciate the depth of each moment, navigating through grief and moving towards hope.
I’m sharing this meditation in both Spanish and English because grief transcends language. If you need a moment to pause, reflect, or simply be, I invite you to engage with these words in whatever way resonates with you.
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Welcome to this sacred space, where art and sorrow intertwine. As you stand among these paintings, let your eyes wander across the canvas, absorbing the colors and strokes that tell a story of loss and healing.
Pause and take a deep breath, feeling the air fill your lungs and then slowly release it. With each breath, allow yourself to become present in this moment, here in this gallery where grief finds its voice.
Grief is an artist, painting on the canvas of our lives. It begins with a stark, empty background, a void left by the absence of a loved one. The initial strokes are heavy and dark, each one a testament to the pain and confusion that accompany loss. Allow yourself to feel these initial strokes, the rawness of your own grief mirrored in the art before you.
As you move from painting to painting, notice the gradual shifts in color and texture. The deep blacks and grays give way to softer hues, the harsh lines begin to blur. This transformation mirrors the journey of grief. It is not linear, but rather a series of layers and revisions, much like an artist revisiting their work, finding new meaning with each touch of the brush.
Consider the moments when the artist steps back, examining their work from a distance. In grief, there are times we too must step back, to see the broader picture of our emotions and experiences. It is in these moments of reflection that we can begin to understand our pain and find ways to integrate it into our lives.
The creative process, much like the grieving process, requires patience and vulnerability. There are times of frustration and moments of clarity. There are days when the canvas seems resistant, and others when it flows effortlessly. Grief, too, ebbs and flows. Some days are more manageable than others, but each day is a part of the larger process of healing.
As you stand before these paintings, let them remind you of the resilience within. Each stroke, each color, represents a step forward, a testament to the strength it takes to confront our sorrow. Allow yourself to feel the emotions that arise, whether they are sadness, anger, confusion, or even a glimmer of hope.
In this gallery, among these reflections of grief, know that you are not alone. The artist’s journey is your journey. The creative process, with all its challenges and triumphs, mirrors your own path through bereavement. Take comfort in the knowledge that, like the artist, you have the capacity to transform your pain into something meaningful and beautiful.
As you leave this space, carry with you the understanding that grief, while deeply personal, is also a universal experience. We all walk this path in our own way, but we share the same goal: to find light in the darkness, to create beauty from the depths of our sorrow.
Take one final deep breath, feeling the air fill your lungs, and as you exhale, let go of any lingering tension. May you find peace and healing in your own creative process, and may the art of grief guide you toward a place of understanding and acceptance of your own humanity.
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Bienvenidos a este espacio sagrado, donde el arte y el dolor se entrelazan. Mientras estás de pie entre estas pinturas, deja que tus ojos vaguen por el lienzo, absorbiendo los colores y las pinceladas que cuentan una historia de pérdida y sanación.
Pausa y respira profundamente, siente el aire llenar tus pulmones y luego suéltalo lentamente. Con cada respiración, permite que te vuelvas presente en este momento, aquí en esta galería donde el duelo encuentra su voz.
El duelo es un artista, pintando en el lienzo de nuestras vidas. Comienza con un fondo vacío y oscuro, un vacío dejado por la ausencia de un ser querido. Las primeras pinceladas son pesadas y oscuras, cada una un testimonio del dolor y la confusión que acompañan a la pérdida. Permítete sentir estas primeras pinceladas, la crudeza de tu propio duelo reflejada en el arte ante ti.
A medida que avanzas de una pintura a otra, nota los cambios graduales en color y textura. Los negros y grises profundos dan paso a tonos más suaves, las líneas duras comienzan a desdibujarse. Esta transformación refleja el viaje del duelo. No es lineal, sino más bien una serie de capas y revisiones, como un artista que vuelve a su obra, encontrando nuevos significados con cada toque del pincel.
Considera los momentos en que el artista se aleja, examinando su obra desde la distancia. En el duelo, también hay momentos en los que debemos retroceder, para ver el panorama más amplio de nuestras emociones y experiencias. Es en estos momentos de reflexión que podemos comenzar a entender nuestro dolor y encontrar formas de integrarlo en nuestras vidas.
El proceso creativo, al igual que el proceso de duelo, requiere paciencia y vulnerabilidad. Hay momentos de frustración y momentos de claridad. Hay días en que el lienzo parece resistente, y otros en que fluye sin esfuerzo. El duelo también fluye y refluye. Algunos días son más manejables que otros, pero cada día es parte del proceso más amplio de sanación.
Mientras estás de pie ante estas pinturas, deja que te recuerden la resiliencia que llevas dentro. Cada pincelada, cada color, representa un paso adelante, un testimonio de la fuerza que se necesita para confrontar nuestro dolor. Permítete sentir las emociones que surgen, ya sea tristeza, enojo, confusión, o incluso un destello de esperanza.
En esta galería, entre estos reflejos de duelo, sabe que no estás solo. El viaje del artista es tu viaje. El proceso creativo, con todos sus desafíos y triunfos, refleja tu propio camino a través del duelo. Toma consuelo en el conocimiento de que, al igual que el artista, tienes la capacidad de transformar tu dolor en algo significativo y hermoso.
Al salir de este espacio, lleva contigo la comprensión de que el duelo, aunque profundamente personal, es también una experiencia universal. Todos caminamos este camino a nuestra manera, pero compartimos el mismo objetivo: encontrar la luz en la oscuridad, crear belleza desde las profundidades de nuestro dolor.
Toma una última respiración profunda, siente el aire llenar tus pulmones, y al exhalar, suelta cualquier tensión que quede. Que encuentres paz y sanación en tu propio proceso creativo, y que el arte del duelo te guíe hacia un lugar de comprensión y aceptación de tu propia humanidad.
Loss is a Reminder That We’re All in This Together

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