My name is Cesar Carbajal, and I'm a third-generation popotillo artist. Popotillo is a traditional Mexican art that uses natural products such as beeswax and dyed straw to create paintings.

For me, popotillo is more than just art—it was a source of comfort when I was close to death. In 2013, both of my kidneys failed. The doctors put me on dialysis, and there was little hope I would get a transplant. I became depressed, but by doing my straw painting, I discovered that this helped keep my mind occupied.

The art is labor-intensive. After spreading warm beeswax onto paper or other surfaces, I arrange thin pieces of dyed straw to create the image I want. The straw is colored using natural dyes made from plants and vegetables and boiled or soaked in agave juice or aguamiel. Each straw is kept to the longest length possible. People are often surprised by my art, and even many people who have traveled the world and have participated in many art shows are often unfamiliar with it.