Throughout my adult years I have studied and practiced meditation
and yoga and have become very familiar with deities of the
East. It is my experience that these benevolent images help
us to get in touch with the qualities within ourselves that
they embody. I found myself drawn to sacred art in a very
natural way.
When I saw an ancient image of Kichijo-ten, from 8th Century
Japan , I immediately knew I wanted to paint her. I decided
to incorporate my love of nature around her so she would
be walking in a Japanese garden, surrounded by abundant life.
I imagined all of nature would be drawn to her, so that is
how I wanted to convey the scene.
During the time I was painting her, the market crashed and
most people around me were feeling fear, anxiety and lack.
Because I was focusing so closely and intensely on this Goddess
of Abundance, Beauty and Virtue, I found that the opposite
feelings were welling up from within me: fullness, gratitude
and deep peace. This awareness expanded as the painting progressed
and I began to sense a transformation taking place within
me, one of realizing my true inner worth on a deeper level.
