“Duwende,” 2024
Original: watercolor and digital

About
Mom told me: “I wonder what happened to the ant hill in the corner of our lot. It was there since I was five years old. We’re not supposed to touch it, because there’s a duwende there! They are like leprechauns. They can give you luck, or they can make you sick.”

The girl in this piece is my mom. The flowers on her dress are sampaguitas, which represent an offering to the ancestors. The triangles are crocodile teeth—a Filipino tattoo pattern that symbolizes power and protection.
Details
8"x10". Paper is 100 lb. heavy card stock, white, and acid-free. Numbered and signed by Kenneth.