Virtues is a hand-carved sculpture that embodies transformation, resilience, and inner strength. Shaped as a human butterfly, the figure symbolizes the profound journey of those who rise above adversity, guided by the virtues bestowed upon them, faith, perseverance, courage, and hope. Created through traditional hand-carving techniques, the piece reveals the intimate dialogue between artist and material. Diamond tools shape the form, while successive stages of abrasive sanding refine its contours. The surface is then polished using animal hide, achieving a finish that enhances both texture and light, and evokes a sense of life and movement. The butterfly-human form speaks to metamorphosis: the passage from struggle to renewal, from hardship to a more luminous existence. Virtues stands as a tribute to every individual who, through moral strength and spiritual conviction, transforms difficulty into growth and suffering into meaning. Artist: BEATRIZ EUGENIA SANTIAGO
