from these hands...: Alma Benita-Process of the Corazon

Note: I titled this posting Process of the Heart- not only the process of Alma's Corazon but the process of my own Heart!

When I design any doll...any project...it starts from my soul...to my heart...to my hands...to you.

As I have been creating now for over 20 years, I have noticed that not only is it important to have the techniques and know how, but equally if not more so, it is that you speak from your heart. You can see it...you can feel it in each piece that is created...it just speaks. You may not even know why but it reaches inside and brings forth an emotion...a touching of the souls.

In other words, a piece may be technically brilliant and flawless but if it has no soul...no love...it might as well be a mass produced piece. For it IS within our our experiences, good and challenging, we find our humanity, our grace, our love...the voice of our heart.

With this in mind, I found it most necessary to place a Corazon at the center of Alma.

Both made of silk velvet, imprinted silk,

vintage metal cording,flames painted w/ gold leaf

Heart from Alma-Blessed Love-Marriage

Heart from Alma-Blessed House

co· ra· zón

[kaw-rah-sawn, -thawn]

noun, plural co· ra· zo· nes. Spanish.

1. the heart.

2. courage; spirit.

3. love; affection; compassion or sympathy.

In Spirituality:

The Immaculate Heart of Mary. Has been seen on countless statues and holy pictures, is one of the most fundamental symbols of pure Divinity by which Our Lady Mary is identified as Our Mother God. It depicts her endless love for us all.

The Sacred Heart. It was on December 27th, probably 1673, when a twenty-six year old nun, Marguerite-Marie Alacoque, in a monastery at Paray-le-Monial, France, received a vision. In much of her worship and prayer centered around the sacrament of communion, as did her visions. For about a year-and-a-half, Jesus appeared to her and revealed his actual heart, burning inside his chest, radiant with love.