If you've been following along on Instagram you already know that The Cosmic Love Set (named by the Hola Gwapa Girl Gang!) has been weeks in the making and a true labor of absolute ooey gooey gushy love. For YEARS I've been dying to create a piece that represents this community in all of its vibrant feminine creative glory. Needless to say... it couldn't be basic and obviously it had to be pink.

So I started playing around with ideas and figuring out how I could create an art piece out of this project AND include you in the process as well. For the design I landed on combining a bunch of mixed mediums to give it a real artistic look and feel. Next, I took it to Instagram where you were able to weigh in on your favorite tie-dye techniques, colors, symbols, the name and what matters most to you when making a new online purchase. The results, have truly exceeded my wildest expectations and I swear on all the planets and all the stars, I'm not just saying that. I hope you babes all enjoy this drop as much as I enjoyed creating it and GRACIAS to each and every one of you who answered IG polls & submitted your creative input. The Cosmic Love Set would not be the Gwapalien masterpiece it is without you! 

 If know me well, you know I'm a total Frida freak and if you know Frida well you know that she is HUGE on using symbolism and hiding it within her work so I thought to myself "Si Senorita!" What a perfect way to incorporate her energy into this piece while getting to represent all the different things elements that make this creative community the beauty and magic that it is today. 

The Party Dangle Ear

Thinking of ways to sum the last year at HG into a symbol and the Party Dangle Ear was created. It is my goal and mission to inspire self expression with the pieces I create and the HG Party Dangles represent that. More than a product to sell, creating these accessories have allowed the HG community to grow and get to know each other better as you send and tag @holagwapa in your gorgeous styled-up selfies. 

The Glue Sniffing Nose 

Maybe I'm outing myself here but I can specifically remember being dared to sniff glue in kinder garden and then being made fun of because I was such a "Weirdo!" But like I was curious and wanted to get experimental! And at the time I cried because I didn't want to be different than the other little kids BUT today 20 something years later I think being a "glue sniffer" is fucking fabulous because I think we can all relate to that moment when we were first embarrassed by what sets us apart and as we evolve being so proud of the quirks that make us unique!

The Roller Coaster or Emotions Faces 

I mean is there anything more on brand for an Artists and The Gwapa Girl Gang than the roller coaster of emotions face?! When I first saw this simple symbol I knew I had to incorporate it into the design because to me it represents that the ups and the downs on along our journey are totally connected. We cannot have one without the other. And P.S we can be happy and sad at the very same time and know that there's nothing wrong with us. Just feel your feelings bb.

Cupid Shooting The Baby Shrimp 

I mean I have no words. Cupid is not just not my guy. I don't like the idea that a little angle baby with a bow and arrow determines our fate. I'm more of a realist and believe that we all are powerful beings fully capable of making our own choices in the love department and beyond. So Cupid shooting a shrimp is just my funny way of saying "You might as well waste your time shooting shrimp with all your love spells cupid because I've got this!" 

The Banana 

So I hate bananas. And I find it odd that whenever I tell people that they want to know why. "Did something happen?! Are you allergic?!" And I sit there trying to come up with something like I'm trying to unlock this hidden secret about myself or answer some self-written riddle. But the truth is I just hate bananas and that's ok. So the nana here symbolizes the notion that we don't need to explain ourselves to anyone, we can just own our likes and dislikes as we are OH and also Andy Warhol.  

The Burning Heart 

What makes your heart burn with desire? What ignites the most passionate parts of you? What do you yearn for? The burning heart is a reminder to live on purpose and stay far far away from a life of complacency. Or as my dad and I'm sure some famous dude before him would say "If you're dreams don't scare you then they probably aren't big enough"

The Artists Tools 

A long time ago I was given a book called Understanding Media: The Extentions of Man by Marshall McLuhan and in it he explained that the medium is the message, meaning that the form of a message (print, visual, musical, etc.) determines the ways in which that message will be perceived. And I think that this idea is so beautiful but can often be overlooked. The tools and mediums that we USE to create are as important if not more important than WHAT we create. So including different kinds of Artist tools is my way of celebrating our mediums as much as we do our final results or work. 

La Rosa 

I've always been into Mexican Lotto Cards which are used and often use their symbolism and messaging in my work. After reading the meaning for La Rosa by Garth Tardy, WDA Teacher and Mentor, I almost shouted out "¡Lotería!" and knew it had to be apart of this design. As you'll read more about below La Rosa symbolizes the power behind our words and our ability to communicate our wants and needs as female artists. Plus, what can I say? I love roses. 

"Rosita, Rosaura ven que te ahora quiero.

Rosita, Rosaure, come, as I want you here now."

The meaning: Someone in the situation desires something a lot. There's a need to be transparent and straight forward about what you want or need and you need to communicate that outward. What's wanted is in plain sight and can't be ignored.

And last but not least... The Gwapalien Head

Can I trademark the term Gwapalien btw?! The alien head was chosen for the logo and the main symbol represented because it tells the story of The Cosmic Love Set so well. It's your reminder to think beyond your tiny little self and this beautiful crazy planet. Find magic in believing in what can't be proven. Dream bigger dreams than what THIS universe will willingly contain. Break the rules, defy the odds and get weird! Because bizarre is always better than boring. So if all else fails keep your head in the stars and stick close to people who believe that aliens exist.