This painting was inspired by the chicano subculture in South Central Los Angeles. Growing up there myself, I saw images of La Virgen de Guadalupe (The Virgin Mary) everywhere. She’s painted on the sides of liquor stores, tattoo’d on people’s bodies, her image is on candles and there are shrines dedicated to her in and outside of churches. She is viewed as a symbol of Mexican resistance and acts as a protector and beacon of hope. Hence the name “Madre Mexico”.