The Mountain in My Mind

Title: If we think it's real, is it?
Medium: Canvas, dirt, crushed egg shells, sand, glitter glue, tempera paint, acrylic paint, glue
By: Clara G. Herrera
Enriching music: Africa, Weezer version
Behind this piece: I have never climbed a tall mountain before, and I frankly wondered if I could do it. I decided to do this climb only two months prior. All the other folks had decided long before and had been training for it. So, while processing all of that, I created this piece about what I imagined the mountain would look like at night. We started our ascent to the summit at midnight. At the top were glaciers and snow, so this wasn't very far off.

I Took My Son's Dresses to Africa

Photo by Clara G. Herrera

This is one of my son's dresses that I gave to a child in a rural village. Every time I gave out a dress in a village, the women would put it on the child immediately. 

Photo by Clara G. Herrera

This is one of the last dresses I gave away at our hotel. It is a Sleeping Beauty play dress. I took this picture here that I call, "Sleeping Beauty Awakens" in honor of my son, in a poinsettia tree. In Texas, we get poinsettias in small containers for Christmas. I never knew they could grow into big trees like this. It was amazing. 

Mountain Me

This is me about the 5th day into the climb, of a 7-day climb. I'll be honest, I wasn't smelling that great. Showers = wet wipes. I did manage to wash my hair in a bowl once. We hiked about 7-10 hours a day, depending on the pace, and stops. The mountain seemed so far, just like goals in life, but with every step we got closer until we reached the top. Nine started out, four of us - three women and one man - reached the summit. 

What I took to Africa 2

Title: Family Ascending
Medium: Photography
By: Clara G. Herrera
Meaning: I asked my three wonderful children what they would like me to take up the mountain. My oldest wanted this bear that my brother gave to her when she was a toddler. My middle son wanted the baseball from his district championship. The youngest requested an awesome sculpture that he had created with sunflowers. I carried all in my backpack the whole time so I could take my children with me. I also took this photo of my three babies with me. The Wookiee, well, that's a family joke between me and my kids.
Enriching music: Carrying Your Love With Me, George Strait (OK, so I'd change a few lyrics to fit Africa and children in there, but the sentiment is true.)

Mountains come in all forms

People often ask me, "What was it like to climb that mountain?" It is hard for me to articulate. It was a physical and mental awakening on so many levels. My children and I are on a path to accomplish and achieve more than I think any of us ever thought possible.

Feel free to share the link to my recent opinion article about taking my son's dresses to Africa. Live joyfully, Clara 

www.mystatesman.com/news/opinion/commentary-why-gave-out-kid-dresses-journey-kilimanjaro/fGyXQKaiwFO6JCOf8ifEMJ/

What I took to Africa 1

Photo art by Clara G. Herrera
These are two photos I took to capture what I took to Africa and to climb Kilimanjaro.

Medium: Open globe, dresses of my son, the ABCs.
Title: The World Is Not Broken, The People Are
Enriching music: Conquer the World, Youssou Ndour; Around The World, Daft Punk

A Dark House

Title: A Dark House

Medium: Canvas, acrylic paint, crushed egg shells with black tempera paint, glue

By: Clara G. Herrera

Enriching music: Own House, MisterWives; Our House, Madness