Though you wouldn’t know it from her name, mixed media artist Nicole McLaughlin is of Mexican descent. Her ceramic and wool fiber art reflects a deep connections to the history of Mayan use of pigments and the importance of water in the Aztec and Mayan cultures. The obvious references to water are meant to put us in mind of fertility and maternal care. The sculptures are deliberately a mix of hard and soft, much like motherhood. The series was inspired by the birth of her now 1-year-old daughter.

“The transformation of organic material echoes the transformative nature of motherhood. The range of colors captures an intense emotional spectrum—from the vitality of birth to the softer, more intimate moments.”

You can follow Nicole McLaughlin on her website and on Instagram.