This painting includes acrylics, pearlescent paints, metal leaf and mica trapped between layers of resin. The piece was created after my father was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a rare blood disease. Hereditary heart disease further compounded his situation and caused his untimely death. In my devastation, I tried to gain a better visual understanding of what had happened in his blood. I became engrossed in research which culminated in this artwork. Blood lines is about family, life, death, and the incredible microcosms within each of us.

Aurora Pagano is a Toronto artist, published illustrator, and arts educator. She has written and developed enriched arts curricula, curated multi-media art festivals and exhibits. Pagano has created and curated national and international art-based projects to foster community and raise awareness of the human condition. Pagano’s art has been exhibited in various GTA galleries and abroad. As a painter, she works with layers of paint and reflective media to capture light and create illusory depths. Rich with figurative symbolism, her compositions reflect a sense of drama and storytelling.