TARA ESPERANZA
June 21, 2024 – July 27, 2024
FOR THE LOVE OF A BUTTERFLY
Tara Esperanza’s relationship with succulents has always been intimate, but over the past year they have revealed themselves to her in a completely new way. It is common for those grieving to see signs of their loved ones in various forms—a cardinal on a branch, a dream visitation, or a song. Such signals serve as powerful validations of the departed. When Esperanza lost her mother unexpectedly during the creation of the first painting in this series, “Feel the Love,” she continued to paint, and amidst overwhelming grief, felt her mother’s presence and heard her voice encouraging her. Unexpected organic symbolic images—hearts and the butterflies her mother adored—began to appear in her work, creating a deep connection to her mother’s love and a path to healing from loss. Esperanza’s work invites viewers to look deeply, connect with the natural world, and feel the love that infuses them.
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Tara Esperanza
Tara Esperanza resides in Oakland, California, where succulents thrive year-round. When she is not painting, she enjoys running and capturing images that later inspire her work.
Esperanza earned a BFA in Painting, graduating cum laude from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, and studied plein air painting in Brittany, France. A representational painter inspired by nature, she has dedicated years to portraying the remarkable beauty and diversity of succulents. She has been a member of Mercury 20 Gallery in Oakland, CA, since 2020. Her work has been shown at the Women’s United Art Movement Virtual Gallery, as well as numerous group exhibitions. In 2025, Esperanza received Best of Show at the Annual National Juried Painting Exhibition at Emerald Springs Art Center in Oregon. Her paintings have been featured in Create! Magazine, New Visionary Magazine, and other publications, and are held in private collections throughout the United States.