Tara Esperanza: For the Love of a Butterfly

June 21-July 27, 2024
Artists’ Reception: Saturday, June 22, 5 – 7 pm
Oakland Art Murmur / First Friday: July 5, 5 – 9 pm

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.

Tara Esperanza resides in Oakland California, where succulents thrive year-round. When she is not painting, she is running and capturing images that live on through her art. Esperanza earned a BFA in Painting and graduated cum laude from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. In addition, she studied plein air painting in Brittany, France. As a representational painter inspired by nature, she has dedicated years to meticulously portraying succulents. Esperanza’s paintings have been included in several group exhibitions, as well as solo exhibitions at Mercury 20 Gallery in Oakland CA. She has exhibited her paintings in galleries and museums throughout California and her work adorns the walls in private collections around the U.S.

Image: Tara Esperanza, Dream of a Butterfly, 2024, acrylic on canvas, 38″ x 34″, photo courtesy of the artist