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Thought it was time to finish up “Ixchel Goddess of Peace” (Ixchel, aka; the Elder, 36x48”). Sanded down and revised the Ukrainian news articles for collage on her shawl and keeping it pretty raw this time. Brought back the gray to her hair as she is an Elder here. What’s next, I’ll continue to work on her hair and add headdress jewelry, detail out the gold headdress with some Maya motifs, work on detail of face, neck and hands and add more jewelry. I’m really loving the collage right now and want it to be more prominent. I’ve made mistakes in the past by covering it up too much and it broke my heart. Also want to bring out the dove and olive leaf more. Anyways, here’s the latest. 

I can't remember anymore when I first discovered Frida, but I love her. I started making mixed media work on her back in 2015, I think. This is my first attempt at painting her, which is way more difficult and intimate. It takes time and a lot of focus to make a painting for me. I made this first one small. She's 11x15" with custom frame. I decide I want to save it for myself, then I decide to make it available. I'll paint more and soon. That's where my head is these days. Thanks.

About Goddess Mokosh: As well as fertility, Mokosh blessed and protected women, with attributes of healing, motherhood and midwifery. She is a Goddess of fate and of destiny. Mokosh brings the water of life and protects the life-giving waters on which human and animal existence depend. In this way Mokosh gives life to plants and animals, and is often portrayed with them. She is an important Slavic Mother Goddess, embodying fertility, femininity, prosperity, protection, health, good luck, abundance, and a successful future.

Mokosh is also a warrior goddess, in her fierce aspect as a goddess of protection. One of her epithets is ‘She who strikes with her wings’. The fact that she is a winged Goddess indicates her power and that which she grants to her priestesses and devotees, to travel between the worlds in trance, dream, and vision, for blessing and for healing on behalf of the community and all who are in need. 

The gold trident in the center of the painting is the national symbol called, the “Coat of Arms of Ukraine.” It was formed, built up and shaped with oil paint.

I used mixed media for her headdress, using cardboard packaging material and oil paint to build the relief and the collage is made from article headlines as the war first unfolded. The rest was painted in oil.

The Ukrainian people continue to inspire me. Glory to Ukraine!🇺🇦

A portion of this sale will go to help Ukrainians via Red Cross, PETA or Jośe Andrés’ World Central Kitchen. 

I’ve been wanting to paint Medusa for years. She gotta bad rap. I think of her as a sister and warrior who didn’t take any crap who became Persona Non Grata, cursed a monster, for being "seduced" by Athena’s man (to say it nicely). But I think she was cool. She became a symbol of many recent women's rights movements, and I love her.
The song is from an older album by Janes Addiction. I chose it because I love the intro and it's kinda sexy. Thought it fit the piece. Hope you enjoy the effort.

I made this video to show the evolution of the painting entitled, “Ixchel, Goddess of Healing.” Ixchel, (pronounced “E-shell,”), is a Mayan Goddess of the Moon, of Love, and many other things. She is the Mother of all of the Mayan deities and rules over the cycles of life and death. I like painting her because I have roots in the area where she is worshipped. (My father was born in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala and moved to the U.S. when he was a boy.) Ixchel had many responsibilities, love being what I was reaching for with this painting. I felt like an open wound over the toxicity from the last presidency, with all the hatred and negative energy being nurtured and grown within this country. I needed to paint something healing so I called on Ixchel for help.