Fertile Ground

This is another work in my series of "layered" mixed media pieces. They are difficult to photograph with the top layer being very reflective but I like being able to work in ink on top and still see the first drawing underneath. The "first layer" of this piece can be seen in a previous post.

I have described what my layering represents and the inspiration for the works in a previous post, but in a nutshell it's about exploring "what lies beneath" (obviously not being literal here) and what really makes a woman, a woman. If it's not our reproductive system ... not our hormones or our breasts, what is it? This piece is a bit more "fertile" than the others, except maybe "The Nest."

ink, pastel and charcoal on Fabriano paper and Duralar

Please click to enlarge

Pomegranates. I love them. In fact, come to think of it, I had pomegranate juice this morning. But, back on the subject, they have symbolism in Greek Mythology, Judaism, Christianity and Hinduism. In Hinduism they represent fertility and are also connected with Lord Ganesha, "the one fond of the many-seeded fruit."

Ganesha is the "remover of obstacles," and that speaks to me for this series and what inspired it.

Learning how to be kind to ourselves,

learning how to respect ourselves, is important.

The reason it's important is that, fundamentally,

when we look into our own hearts

and begin to discover what is confused and what is brilliant,

what is bitter and what is sweet,

it isn't just ourselves that we're discovering.

We're discovering the universe.

Pema Chödrön