Mary P Williams

Olga Escobedo

Down the hall from me is Olga Escobedo. Olga is concentrating her art around the healing properties of local plants and folk remedies used in her community.  She gathers information from her aunts and other members of her family.  Apparently they have quite a store of “how it used to be done” stories to share with her.

Olga Escobedo "Tree of Life"

Her ‘Tree of Life’ painting shares a color palette with her sunflower painting.

Olga Escobedo painting with Mother's Milk

She has started a series of paintings showing the use of various items. This one shows a woman depositing her breast milk in an egg (which has been blown and is empty).  The egg is then put on a stove and warmed before being given to a baby who is suffering from locked intestine, or “Empacho”. Olga says:

“Mothers lactate into an egg that has been drained of its content.  The egg is then placed directly onto a flame to heat, so that the membrane (lining that forms within the egg) melts and mixes with the mother’s breast milk.  It is then poured into a bottle which is given to the infant.”

If you are an adult with the same ailment a tea is prepared from a crushed avocado  seed, herbs, garlic, and water.

Olga Escobedo painting of Curandera at stove

The second painting shows a woman boiling the tea. Olga:

“Teas are commonly prescribes by Curanderos to their patients.  These teas can be a mixture of herbal plants with other substances like honey, avocado, bone, lemon juice, etc.”

Please note that these ancient remedies are being made in a modern kitchen.  Olga consults books but, more importantly, consults her mother, aunts, and other elders in her community to gather the information.  A fascinating subject … I’m looking forward to more explanatory paintings!