Andres Lementino: Picasso Marble, Frog/Coral heartline

Le-men-tino The marble’s surface is polished smooth, its deep tones swirling like storm clouds across the frog’s compact, poised body. The contrast between dark gray and inky black gives the carving a sense of quiet strength and natural camouflage, as if the frog could vanish into stone or water at will. Its eyes are inlaid with turquoise, bright and luminous—two vivid gems that bring life and presence to the piece. The turquoise stands out brilliantly against the dark marble, adding a spark of sacred energy and reinforcing the frog’s symbolic connection to water, healing, and transformation. Running  down its back is an inlaid spiny oyster heartline—a bold, radiant line of deep orange to reddish-pink shell, representing the life force and breath of spirit. The heartline, a traditional symbol in Zuni and other Native American carvings, starts at the mouth (where life enters) and leads to the heart, signifying inner strength, purpose, and the path of vitality. Together, the elements mak