Dessert whale dreams

Ventana - Baja California- Mexico

Caratoes was invited to create a metal sculpture in the desert of Baja California, Mexico, a place where humpback whales converge each year to mate and spend the winter. On a boat tour, surrounded by over 300 whales, she offered her blessings to the ocean, deeply moved when one whale swam toward the boat, allowing them to touch her—a powerful, unspoken connection between human and creature.

Reflecting on the whales' migration, Caratoes saw the parallel with humans who also travel to Baja, seeking connection and renewal. Inspired by this, she decided to create a sculpture built in layers, each symbolizing the journeys of both whales and people. The layers would echo the sounds of the ocean, capturing the rhythms of migration and the deep connections that unite all living beings.