One of the things that instantly takes me back to my parents' ranch in Guanajuato, Mexico, is this image. Every summer, we'd pick tunas straight off the nopales. I can still picture the bright red and green fruit against the nopalitos, their colors reminding me of the familiar.

The best part was always eating them fresh. We'd pluck them off the nopales, roll them through the tall grass to brush off the tiny pricklies, and then cut into them with the same knife that had a worn wooden handle. Inside was the sweetest, juiciest fruit, either a deep magenta red or a bright green, filled with crunchy little seeds. My tia would laugh and say, "No vayas a comerte tantas semillas porque te va a crecer un nopal en la panza." ("Don't eat too many seeds or a cactus will grow in your stomach.") Of course, I never believed her... but I still think about it every time I eat one.

It's funny how something as simple as the taste of a tuna can take you right back to a place. For me, it's one of those memories that never really leaves. It reminds me of summer afternoons at the rancho, my family, and all of the small moments that quietly become part of who we are.

This print was created using traditional stone lithography and plate lithography. The figure and the nopales were drawn by hand on a lithography stone, while the patterned background was printed from a lithography plate. The white details are hand-tinted with white charcoal pencil, making each print slightly unique.

Each print is part of a limited edition and may vary slightly due to the nature of traditional printmaking. These subtle differences are part of the beauty of the process. Every print is titled, signed, and edition.

Paper Size: 28”x22”

Image Size: 28”22”

Paper: BFK cream and tan

*print does not come framed

Shipping: Prints are carefully packed and shipped in an art tube. Please allow for 7 days to package and ship.