GUARD YOUR HEART

an art piece with a message

8.5” x 10.5”, acrylic yarn, crochet hook 2.5 mm

This piece is part of the Claritas spring 2023 issue, Love. Read the full print release here.

By: Dara Gonzalez

An anatomical heart is encased in a glass case, guarded by two swords. Two hands reach out from different directions, but are blocked by walls surrounding the case.

This piece is inspired by the folk art of Milagros in Mexico, which often depict hearts being struck by swords or on fire. They are carried as religious tokens of small miracles and represent love and gratitude.

I wanted to present two different meanings to protecting your heart: being protected from the dangers of the world and building barriers which prevent love from entering.

Love is not an easy task. It may be easy to say that you love food, an artist, or enjoying time with your loved ones, but letting the love settle in your heart is a long process. Being human means being imperfect and often those who love us, hurt us. While we may forgive, it’s often hard to forget. We guard our hearts against further hurt by not allowing others to love us or love them in return, and become cold as we claim we are protecting ourselves.

While hands may reach out to hurt us, they also extend to help. We can guard our hearts from the dangers of the world, but in turn, may also be depriving ourselves of love. I wanted to reflect on how much we guard our hearts and who we should truly be guarding against. We should allow ourselves to be loved and love others deeply and unconditionally. Although we may experience pain, forgiveness and love will always overcome.

This piece appeared in Claritas’ spring 2023 Love Issue