El Camino

via Turtle Island

El Camino via Turtle Island is an art project rooted in a personal pilgrimage—an exploration of identity, belonging, and the landscapes that shape us.

My work has long been inspired by the natural world, particularly the nuanced and resilient beauty of South Texas where I was born and raised. Lately, my attention has turned to deeper questions about place and history, especially what it means to live as a person of European descent on land with a complex and painful past.

More than two decades after my first encounter with the Camino, I feel called to return. This time, not just as a traveler, but as an artist seeking to reflect, to listen, and to walk with intention. This journey, which will take me through Galicia — the land of my ancestors — serves as both a physical and spiritual path toward understanding.

In my guidebook to the Camino Inglés, John Brierley writes,

“A pilgrimage takes place upon two paths—the outer path on which our feet tread and the inner path of the soul.”

This project follows both.

Through painting, writing, and documentation, El Camino via Turtle Island will unfold as a creative offering, aiming to bridge landscapes, cultures, and histories through a lens of reverence and curiosity.

While I walk, I’ll be sketching, journaling, and gathering impressions to inform a new body of work. In the months that follow, I’ll translate those experiences into paintings and visual meditations that explore our relationships to place, memory, and shared responsibility.

I’m currently seeking sponsors to help bring this vision to life.
If this resonates with you, I invite you to explore the sponsorship levels below. Your support helps fund the travel, materials, and creative labor involved in the journey. Sponsorships start at just $20 and each level includes artwork and connections to the path ahead.

Thank you for being part of this unfolding.

Be Part of the

Journey

Art, Process, and the Path Ahead

However you choose to be part of this journey — by following along, offering encouragement, or joining as a sponsor — I’m grateful!
If you're drawn to support the work more directly, you can help sponsor this project.

SPONSORSHIPS

Sponsorships help make this project possible by covering key aspects such as travel expenses for the pilgrimage, art materials and documentation tools, as well as the development of an exhibition and accompanying reflections to be shared with the public. Starting at only $20, each level includes artwork and handpicked gifts to honor your part in making this possible.

Your support is more than financial — it’s an investment in a journey that seeks to foster reflection, connection, and dialogue through the lens of art. In return, sponsors will receive early access to works created during the project, acknowledgment in exhibitions and publications, and opportunities to engage with the creative process along the way. Learn about the different levels of sponsorship below.

  • Supporter
    Thank you for supporting this project! At this level of sponsorship, you'll receive:

    • A 9” x 12” digital artwork titled Ready to Fly, newly released and delivered via email (see image)

    • Weekly updates from the Camino Residency

      Purchase Here

  • Fellow Traveler
    El Camino via Turtle Island is a journey from the Texas coast to the Spanish coast. Enjoy a print of these spoonbills from my starting point. Sponsors at this level receive:

    • A 10” x 20” print on watercolor paper of my painting, Spoonbills (see image)

    • A 9” x 12” Ready to Fly, digital artwork, emailed as a high-resolution file

    • Weekly updates from the Camino Residency

    • 20% off coupon for Jessica Monroe Fine Art online gallery.

      Purchase Here

  • Pilgrim’s Patron
    At this level, I’m offering a graphite painting created on-site in Galicia, where I’ll be exploring the landscapes of my ancestors. These are meditation paintings I use to listen and learn from the world around me. Sponsors at this level receive:

    • One of five original graphite paintings created on location, delivered Fall 2025

    • A 10” x 20” print on watercolor paper of my painting, Spoonbills

    • A 9” x 12” Ready to Fly, digital artwork

    • Weekly updates from the Camino Residency

    • 20% off coupon for Jessica Monroe Fine Art online gallery.

    • 20% collectors discount toward artwork from the Camino series.

      Purchase Here

  • Creative Collaborator
    Become part of the creative process by selecting an image from the Camino Residency to be transformed into a one-of-a-kind oil painting. Sponsors at this level receive:

    • A custom 20” x 30” original oil painting inspired by the Camino, delivered Summer 2026

    • A 10” x 20” print on watercolor paper of my painting, Spoonbills

    • A 9” x 12” Ready to Fly, digital artwork

    • Weekly updates from the Camino Residency

    • 20% off coupon for Jessica Monroe Fine Art online gallery.

    • 20% collectors discount toward artwork from the Camino series.

      Purchase Here

All levels of support are deeply appreciated

and will be acknowledged with gratitude.

"Ready to Fly" – Digital Artwork (9” x 12”)
All sponsors will receive a high-resolution digital file of Ready to Fly as a thank-you gift — an image created to celebrate new beginnings and the spirit of the journey.

"Spoonbills" – Archival Print (10” x 20”)
Inspired by the Texas coast, this print is offered on watercolor paper to sponsors at Levels II, III, and IV — marking the starting point of the journey.

Graphite Painting Example
This piece was created during an artist residency on an island in the Laguna Madre. Level III sponsors will receive a similar original graphite painting, made on location during the Camino Residency in Galicia, Spain.

Thank you Sponsors!

Thank you Sponsors!

Deepest thanks to the businesses supporting this journey of art and ancestry. Your partnership helps bring this project to life.