New collage piece - 'Familia' - a digital piece celebrating the wedding of Jorge and Mayuko, Japan and Colombia combined

Whenever friends reach a great milestone in their lives, nothing makes me happier than celebrating with them. But being so far away means sometimes we don't get to be there for the big day. This time around we missed the wedding of my very dear friends, Jorge and Mayuko in Japan. At times like this, when we miss all the big stuff going on, I like to create artwork to give as a gift to mark the occasion. My way of being a small part of the celebration! A celebration of love, friendship, and the coming together of two cultures - Colombian and Japanese.

Even before I had started working on this piece, I already had in mind what I wanted to do. I chose their adorable doberman - Dobby - as the focal point, and around him brought together elements of both cultures. they weave a narrative around him, blending together and playing with the spaces. The overall piece has a joyful, energetic feel that brings out the beautiful details in each culture's items.

I chose a lot of circles for the items in the design - the most notable at the top, being the largest. I wanted to give a more subtle nod to the Japanese flag, and the Land of the Rising Sun. The circle gently rising over the dog's back and above the mountain I created with the items does that without being too blatant.

There's also a nod to the yellow, red and blue of the Colombian flag within the palette, and where the Japanese elements are more uniform in shape and pattern, the Colombian elements - like the coffee beans, the birds, butterflies, mountains and airplane - have a bit more of a playful nature.

I hope they like it! it was so fun to explore imagery from a new source of inspiration, using things I've never used before. I can already feel my mind working on making this dog concept a bit of a series....

Congratulations, Jorge and Mayuko! Wishing you many many years of happiness and success.