Two Artists Made Us Cry: A Tribute to Asha & Kai
- Kathleen Naomi
- Aug 24, 2021
- 2 min read
Updated: Nov 12
Some stories stay in your heart forever. This one is about love, loss, and two incredible artists who turned grief into magic.
ASHA & KAI
Our two greyhounds.
Passed on January 20, 2020 & March 5, 2021.
Words cannot describe the depth of our love for them.
We wanted to do something very special, magical, in their honor.
MAE DELGADO
Sculpture Artist | Puerto Vallarta
We felt drawn to Mae’s art and asked if she could create a vase incorporating our greyhounds’ ashes into the clay.
She said yes.
We chose the style we wanted, similar to one of her vases —
and discovered something amazing:
The style was based on a vase found in a tomb in Las Palmas, Mexico — not far from Puerto Vallarta. The balls with cotton hanging from the vase were designed by Mae as winches, because winches were also found in Mexican tombs.
There are no coincidences — it was a perfect tribute.
Asha and Kai’s ashes, wrapped in a Japanese bag made by my mother and bound with a beautiful rope, were gently mixed into the clay.
Mae was gentle and kind, sending me videos of the process of unwrapping the ashes and blending them into the vase.
STUNNING. MAGICAL. TRIBUTE
The energy of this vase brings clarity, connects us to our angels Asha & Kai, and links ancestors past and future.
Dear Mae, muchísimas gracias. We are forever grateful.
CASSANDRA SHAW
Artist | Jewelry & Paintings | Puerto Vallarta
It’s impossible to visit or live in Puerto Vallarta without knowing one of the most famous jewelry designers: Cassandra Shaw.
Her gorgeous store in Emiliano Zapata and her love of helping animals drew me in — plus, she’s also a painter.
In June 2021, we attended a charity auction for R.I.S.E., a children’s shelter.
One of the items was a Cassandra Shaw Pet Portrait — exactly what I had been thinking about!
I won the auction item.
Cassandra based her painting on a photo I had of Asha and Kai, taken by professional pet photographer David Sutton.
This painting sits right next to my desk.
EVERY DAY, it makes me:
Smile
Laugh
Feel Love
Feel Comfort
It’s Asha and Kai reminding me to have fun.
Dear Cassandra, your light in creating this painting of my babies makes every day a more magical place.
I’m forever grateful to have had Asha and Kai in my life —and to these artists for honoring their lives:
Mae Delgado & Cassandra Shaw
INNER MOVIE STAR REFLECTION
These artists helped me see that honoring life — past, present, and future — is a way of living fully, celebrating beauty, and creating magic.
Just like an Inner Movie Star, I can choose to see the wonder and gratitude every day, and carry the love of Asha & Kai with me in every moment.
Find your inner movie star.
xo Kathleen Naomi
