In this series of drawings I combine botanical illustrations of plants common to Taino and Caribbean people with “body field” illustrations. These body fields are an invention in my personal botanical practice where I envision a representation of the plants effects on the human body, in medicine and metaphysically, as well as an interpretation of the plant in the landscape it grows in.

This series is an extension of my research exploring how colonial history of the Caribbean has important resources for those of us reconnecting to our indigenous ancestry and aim to continue to uplift and share it with our communities. With this series I show how Tainos have invented a lot of language, including being the foreground for the names of the following fruits, and culture Dominicans and Caribbean diasporic folks still use to this day.

All of the illustrations in this series are 15” x 22”, colored pencil and ink on paper with cotton thread holding that specific plants seeds or roots. Title contains the arawak / taino name, english name and latin or scientific name. Series 2024 - 2025

sarobe / cotton
Gossypium Barbadense