When Two Worlds Collide
I’d like to talk about the drawing you see before you. It is a representation of my last name which is “Castorena” to the best of my ability at the time I drew it. What makes this collage of images together great is there are two parts that collide and make one. Let me elaborate a little for you.
“The world is divided into two kinds of people: those who have tattoos, and those who are afraid of people with tattoos.”
When I was about eleven years old. I used to stay at my great grandmothers a lot. My parents were either at work or simply just trying to make a better life for me and my brother and sisters. I was sitting at the kitchen table eating my breakfast and drawing little patterns my uncles had made and sent home on prison envelopes. Little lowrider, clown girls and cultural images were always the factor.
This day I was learning to handwrite in script as I remember. My Grandmother saw what I was drawing and said its really pretty. She then says you know where you got your gift from right? Curiously I turned and said no where? She turns, pauses and gently says… your grandfather. He was an amazing artist. I never met my grandfather. He died when I was very young. She then says your whole family and ancestors were all artists. So it is in your blood. That felt amazing to me I remember. She then says which brings me to my next point. Do you know where your last name comes from mijo? I reply not exactly. She says Long ago there was a spaniard named Set Castor.
A conquistador who set sail to find new land. And when he did he landed here on the shores of Mexico. When he was here he met the native Aztecs which were known as the fish scale people. Due to the coastal region and they wore scale like clothing. Castor soon met the princess and it was love at first sight. He never seen such beauty. Though he had a long lost love back where his original home was. Love was just too powerful between the two.
So having been part of a sacred bloodline origin. The princess was in love with the handsome conquistador and the two ran away together leaving everything behind and starting a new life together. Coming here to higher north of Mexico they settled in many small unknown towns at the time. But when they bared their first child. They named him after both of their stories. Castor the conquistador and Rena the princess. Which if you haven’t realized by now rena means princess or queen in Spanish. Breaking the royal bloodline and now creating the two worlds colliding…”Castorena”