LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles sacred artist Lalo García has spent more than four decades painting religious images, but none move him more deeply than Our Lady of Guadalupe. Even after creating her portrait more than a dozen times, García says every painting feels like the first — because each one brings a new emotion, a new prayer and a new moment in his life.
“The Virgin is more than an image,” García says. “Every time I paint her, it’s a blessing.”
García’s devotion to the Virgin began in childhood, inspired by his mother, who prayed the rosary every day until the end of her life. His connection grew even stronger years later when he became an Aztec dancer and realized he wasn’t just performing — he was praying through movement. That spiritual understanding eventually led him to sacred art, where he now channels the same reverence into his brushstrokes…