ENCANTAMIENTO

This piece depicts the rising moon lighting up the majestic Organ Mountains anchoring and protecting my hometown, Las Cruces, New Mexico.

The colors are authentic, as anyone who has witnessed a simultaneous full moonrise and sunset from the West Mesa can attest.

The plant in the foreground is called the soaptree yucca (yucca elata in colonial Spanish) and is native to New Mexico.

For centuries, Indiginous tribes such as the Apache, Navajo (Diné), and Zuni have used yucca for soap, fiber, food, and ceremonial purposes. The plant holds practical, medicinal, and symbolic importance in these communities.

Here, pregnant pods beckon skyward, ready to burst and bear their summertime blossoms, a beautiful gift from the Land of Enchantment.

Artist: Jessica Blanchard | 2024

Blue Break Collective, LLC

bluebreakcollective@gmail.com