The loss of my brother gave me the courage to become an artist
Death changes us in many ways but loosing my 35 year old brother to an unsolved murder changed my entire life. Little did I know my love of vintage Mexican Folk Art and his death would create such a beautiful and life changing artistic journey.
I've been crazy for vintage Mexican Trees of Life for almost twenty years now and my collection keeps on growing. It all started one day my eyes came upon a crazy looking owl candle holder at a garage sale. It was bold, funky, colorful and oddly strange but in a good way. After hours on Google, found out this crazy owl candleholder was in fact a vintage Mexican "Arbol de la Vida" (Tree of Life) attributed to the Castillo family.
I immediately started hunting for vintage Mexican Trees of Life, but they were hard to find, especially in good condition. The reason being is they are single fire clay sculptures with delicate details attached with wire. The clay bodies used also makes them porous and prone to cracks. Many salvageable vintage trees have been thrown out over the years because of some breakage, but please don't throw them away. Their imperfections is what makes them so perfect.
If you would like to see more vintage "Arbols de la Vida" visit my Instagram page
My first Mexican Tree of Life
Then in July 2014, I got a call my brother, Chad Ware never came back from his trip to Mexico. Two weeks later the Mexican consulate confirmed Chad's body was found in a remote area. He was only 35 years old. I never found out exactly what happened and was never able to bury his body. His death broke my heart into a million pieces changing something deep inside my soul. I was lost in pain and everything seemed meaningless. So I did what I normally do in times like this, I travel. It helps me find a different perspective.
Then one night a volunteer program in India came up and immediately I knew, I had to go. For one month, I was part of a volunteer program to help orphans and teach monks English. It would be my first time to India.
That trip was a gift that changed the course of my life. I faced fears, lit candles, befriended a monk who looked just like Chad and decided moving forward I would be fearless. I realized every moment, every word, every choice and every decision we make creates our life. We are the authors. So after my trip I came home and made some big life changes.
One of the big life changes was to embrace the artist within which I had been afraid to share with the world all my life. I let go of the people that were toxic in my life and welcomed those who were loving and emotionally healthy.
Then one day a friend told me she was taking a ceramics class and instantly knew I had to make a memorial Mexican Tree of Life for my brother. Ever since that day I've never looked back. I know Chad is with me opening doors and helping me along this journey. Each tree of life is an organic creative process that is so healing to my soul. Everything is handmade, no templates, glue or sketches just my hands and my heart. Trees also symbolize life, strength, growth and transformation. We plant our roots at birth and every decision, every turn we make grows our own unique "Tree of Life". My trees are more than decorations to me, they are meant to bring love, joy and connection to each home they go to.
Before I die, my dream is to travel to Izucar de Matamoros, Metepec and Actalan in Mexico and meet the Arbol de la Vida artisan families. I started taking Spanish classes so when that day comes I will be able to communicate and share thoughts and ideas freely with them. It's a life long passion and my brother was the one who helped me find all of this. Thank you Chad. I love you and miss you so much.
Arbols de la Vidas will always be close to my heart, just like my brother and I hope my creations can also be close to yours.
In loving memory of my brother Chad Brian Ware
March 26, 1979 to July 2014
Vanessa Leone Aquiningoc
Growing up, I was exposed to many cultures and formed a love for colorful art forms from around the globe. My art comes from a place of deep curiosity, explored through an endless imagination, with a passion and need to create everyday. I've tried many mediums from jewelry making, wood carving, painting, tin art, mixed media and more but clay is the medium that I'm most passionate about. Each tree organically grows as I'm forming it. Sometimes I surprise myself wondering where they all come from. It's like there is a sea of trees floating around in my mind all waiting to come out.
In the Media....
SD Voyager " Conversations with Vanessa Leone"
Shoutout SoCal " Meet Vanessa Leone a Mexican Tree of Life Artist"
Sablan, my Family Name
Many people have asked me where the name Sablan comes from. Sablan is one of my family names as is Flores, Castro, Santos and Aquiningoc. My family is from Guam and I can say that I'm 100% Chamorro ( native word for people from Guam ). If you haven't heard of Guam it is a tiny US island territory in the Pacific Ocean, only a couple of hours away from Japan and China. In our culture, it's tradition to keep both family names upon marriage. So my grandmother, Nieves Castro Flores became Nieves Flores Sablan when she married my grandfather, Joseph Santos Sablan.
They say our name comes from our family's white sand beach named Tarague in the Northern part of the island . Before the military came in, my grandmother's entire family lived on the beach. They made a living making "copra" dried coconut. I remember listening to my grandmother telling me stories of what it was like living and growing up on the beach.
Sablan also sounds very similar to "sable blanc" which means "white sand" in French. Which sounds crazy incorporating European to our family name but it's not. Blue eyes do run in our family as well as light skin, which are characteristic of Europeans not Chamorros. So somewhere down the line Europeans entered into our family pool.
So one day it dawned on me, I use white sand clay to make my trees and my family comes from a white sand beach. Sablan has a dual meaning for me, it brings my family history to what I'm doing today and that is why I chose the name Sablan.
Things I love...
My Family • Making trees of life • Tibetan Bowls • Travel • Nature • World cultures • Smiling • Using a paintbrush • Labradorite • Big Beautiful Trees • Making Jewelry • Old Monasteries • Flea Markets • Dip Ink Pens • Vintage Textiles • Surfing the Internet • Old Hand Carved Wood • Rockhounding • Seashells • Unplanned Adventures • Photography • Used Book Stores • Fresh flowers • Australian Cattle Dogs • Bernese Mountain Dogs • Sunsets • Knitting • Sailing • Vegetable Gardening • Over the Knee Socks • Turquoise Ceramics • Sedona • Bold and Funky Rings • Crazy Couch Pillows • Fountains • Anthropologie Stores • My Art Studio • Tin Art • Linen Sheets • Sun on my face • Anything Cashmere • Chocolate • Mexican Folk Art • Crazy Chickens Ceramics • Creativity • Laughing