Unlike Legos, building something in real life out of nothing doesn’t come with clear instructions, a blueprint, or lovely little reference photos. Especially if you’re building something you’ve never built before.

But you start anyway. With some sort of idea in your mind, in your heart, and just a dash of delusion. And you lay your bricks, one at a time.

The building process is wildly different from person to person and from different perspectives. Some people may have a whole team behind them, helping them handle every component of what they’re building. Others, like me, are wearing every hat, juggling every role, and laying each brick on their own. But neither circumstance takes away from the other.

Here, the Blobbies represent the one person doing it all. Laying and building upon the foundation of whatever dream they’re creating. They may not see or even know the full structure yet, but it is underway.

A byproduct of building whatever it is you’re building is that you also end up building upon yourself. If you aim for improvement over perfection, and know that you don’t know everything (and that’s okay), then you’ll encounter many versions of yourself along the way.

Here, the red bricks represent passion and energy, which are usually encountered at the beginning of a project. The white bricks are blank slates, full of infinite possibilities. The gray bricks are the messy middle. Where the early spark may have faded, but the finish line feels eons away; they test your patience and perseverance.

The golden bricks are the wins stacked along the way. The little nuggets of evidence that keep you going when you’ve grown weary. The nuggets that show your delusion isn’t fully delusional.

The empty spaces show that progress isn’t linear. At least not really. And that is also okay.

If you notice, some Blobbies face away, exposing their little Blobby butts along the way. Because vulnerability is part of this journey too. You build while being seen, while unsure, while imperfect. While feeling like you’re making an ass of yourself at times.

Then there’s the Blobby reaching back to steady another. Part of building isn’t only charging forward recklessly, but caring for yourself along the way. Giving yourself grace when the load grows heavy. Letting one version of you lift another. Brick by brick. Moment by moment.

Not every Blobby carries a brick at all times. Sometimes you pause. Sometimes you feel lost or unsure of what comes next. That’s part of building too. You don’t have to carry everything, every moment, every time, by yourself.

Somewhere along the way, you realize how far you’ve come. How far you’ve yet to go. And you’re grateful for it all. That too becomes a little nugget. Then you’re right back at it, with renewed strength. Ready to stack some more bricks. Perhaps with a little snacky snack and some help this time.

Kena Ramírez Dillon
Build, Blobbies. Build., 2022
Digital painting

EDITIONS:

LIMITED COLLECTOR’S EDITION:

• HAND-EMBELLISHED GALLERY-WRAPPED CANVAS, FRAMED

  Professionally printed on canvas and mounted on gallery-depth stretcher bars. Each piece is personally hand-embellished by Kena, adding texture and painted details unique to that particular piece. These subtle variations mean no two are exactly alike.

  Once a piece has been hand-embellished, Kena proceeds to the next steps of preparing it for its new home. The piece is personally hand signed, varnished, framed in a high-quality wood floater frame, and packaged by her in the Kena the Artist studio. From there, it begins its journey to you, arriving finished and ready to hang.

  • Hand signed

  • Certificate of authenticity

  • Numbered out of 31 in each size

  • Wrapped with care, as art is a gift

OPEN EDITION:

• FINE ART GICLÉE PRINT, UNFRAMED

  Professionally printed on fine art paper, showcasing the color and detail of the original artwork. The paper has a smooth, matte surface.

  Each print is personally packaged and hand signed by Kena before being carefully sent on its journey to you. Prints arrive unframed, allowing you to choose a presentation that best complements the artwork and your space.

  • Hand signed

  • Certificate of authenticity

  • Wrapped with care, as art is a gift

SIZE OPTIONS:

• LIMITED COLLECTOR’S EDITION:

• 12 × 12 in

• 20 × 20 in

• 30 × 30 in

• OPEN EDITION:

• 8 × 8 in

• 12 × 12 in

• 24 × 24 in

• 30 × 30 in

Open edition prints include a white, one-inch border to accommodate framing with or without a mat.

MOCK-UP:
Want to see how this piece will look in your space? Contact me, and I’ll be happy to create a mock-up to help you visualize it in your home.

SHIPPING OUTSIDE THE U.S.:
Shipping is currently only available within the U.S. If you live elsewhere and would like to purchase, please contact me to discuss options. Thank you!