Introduction
Do you know that in Mexico there is a long tradition of thank-you or gratitude paintings?
These are called ex-votos, and they could be made by anyone who had an important story to tell about being kept safe during something dangerous that happened to them. The artist Frida Kahlo collected them, and they influenced her own work.
The paintings, made on metal, often say something to the effect of “I almost was badly injured, but I wasn’t and so I am saying thank you with this painting.” Can you think of a time that you were safe during a dangerous moment? Who might you be grateful to?