About Garden Spirit

Garden Spirit was inspired by my 12-year-old Bichon Frisé, Dakota. Despite his age, Dakota still bursts with energy and curiosity—often mistaken for a dog half his age. He loves nothing more than a garden stroll, exploring blooms, soaking up sunshine, and supervising any outdoor activity by my side.

In spring, when flowers and grass reach full bloom in our Carmel Valley garden, Dakota becomes a white puff of joy prancing through nature’s wonders. Sometimes flower petals and bits of grass get caught in his fur. Other times, I decorate him with blossoms to help him fully become one with the garden.

This sculpture captures Dakota’s beautiful, curious, and joyful spirit. I truly believe his vitality is thanks not just to love and care, but to a life immersed in nature.

Garden Spirit is a reminder to walk slowly, soak in your surroundings, and rediscover the awe in the world around you. I hope my creation reminds you to take a nice walk and practice being in awe of our gorgeous surroundings.

About Artist Tatiana Cabrera
Tatiana Cabrera is a self-taught artist based in Carmel Valley and a recent graduate of Cal State Monterey Bay with a B.S. in Communication Design focused on Visual Design. Drawn to art from an early age, she vividly recalls being inspired at age four by the home studio of family friend Patricia Di Grazia in Pebble Beach. Throughout her childhood and teenage years, Tatiana devoted herself to drawing, portrait painting, and hyperrealism, preferring time with her art over more typical pastimes.

In college, Tatiana merged her love of art and technology through graphic design studies and was introduced to abstraction by artist Patricia Qualls. This mentorship inspired her to approach painting with intuition and emotion, balancing her early technical skills with expressive freedom. Today, she works from her home studio, creating pieces that reflect both precision and creative spontaneity.