Sacred Women

The entire icon concept captured my heart and imagination. Originally, icons were literally considered doors to another world, a sacred world. There were specific rules for their creation, formats, colors, etc. Artists weren't considered artists so much as crafts people...which maybe we really are. I'm willing to go there. Being an artist isn't my crown, it's my my breath and everybody breathes. It's not as special as some would make it out to be except perhaps to me. So this first Woman of the Sacred is especially dear to me. Can you guess who she is? The long hair, the beautiful gown, the precious urn are all her attributes. I've placed her on that gold gesso so she glows with the preciousness that could only belong to Mary Magdalene. Long before there was any Da Vinci code, Mary Magdalene was precious to me. You see, it was my mother's name. Mary Magdalene De La Cruz. Her mother told me she named her that because the original Mary had been the most beloved of Jesus Christ. What a beautiful thought. So I made her beautiful, slightly Jewish looking. Those are apples in the background to link her to Mother Eve and two keys tell us she is the key to understanding Christ's humanity as well as the importance of women in Christ's plans for spirituality. Oh yes, there is that masked critter looking over her shoulder, but he is just the past, which she has turned away from. Can you tell how much I loved creating this piece ? So, if my dearest Mary Magdalene came to visit my studio, you know I also had a visit from the Great Mother, Eve. She reigns in a triptych. When I started working on this, I really thought I was going to do three distinct images, but that's not what Eve had in mind. She wanted her children there with her. Again, like the ancient icons, she floats in the eternity of gold with the fruit of wisdom, which was passed on to her children. Her heart burns with the passion of learning and her torso is a mirror as she reflects each and everyone of us equally. The silhouettes of her children peer out from the gardens. Gardens they have created in honor and memory of Eden. One has numbers and equations, the other words, representing logic and spirit respectively.

On the technical side both pieces are on heavy watercolor paper mounted on mat board. the images are acrylic, collage and oil stick. Oh yes, and love...with a bit of passion thrown in for highlighting.