I find that creating a series gives the idea space.
Space to be individual while still in coherence with the others.
As I created Corazón, the Heart, I felt she spoke differently, in that the word itself is rooted in courage.
This series of Madonnas took courage for me to create and to connect with a heritage that my mother shunned. It became a way to heal her generational past shame and the distance she carried from it.
For myself, it was a theme of heritage that I have held close within but never been able to explore without being shut out. It was to bring out the beauty of these pieces and share them with all of you.
First was La Luz- the light, which gave lift to this series with the wings of the Moth. The moth is attracted to the light. And to step into the next part of this series was The Rose Madonna, La Alegría, to embody joy in all its forms—gratitude in pink roses, and friendship in yellow.
La Luz LINK
La Alegría LINK
This Madonna Corazón feels to be the completion of this series. She can speak freely from her heart. She carries the light and the joy of the two before her.
This holds true in my own life. Art has a way of revealing the answers we have quietly carried within us. Maybe that is how the soul connects to the body—it is in that knowing.
As this series ends, it has given me an understanding of my transition to be able to now step over the threshold.
Blessings come within Madonnas.
Process Photos!
Appliques printed and from contemporary fabrics.
Madonna Corazón Leslie O'Leary © 2026 Madonna Series.
