Mother and Child

MOTHER AND CHILD

MOTHER AND CHILD

This painting, as you can see, is heavily influenced by the Christian Mary and Jesus. It is an updated version of the historically popular image. The mother here, looks like a model with exuberant, fan blown hair. The baby is mischievous and spunky. He is a hand full, looking for trouble.

I think the halo, a kaleidoscope of comb like sea shells, is beautiful. In the background is a Gothic church, another allusion to Christianity.

The painting is called "Mother and Child", because my intention was to represent universal, ideal mother love. The picture references Christianity, but portrays, not specifically Mary, but the yearning desire for a loving mother. It serves as an illustration and receptacle for our human longing for unconditional love. Mother Mary and Child pictures are a personification of human needs. They are a concept made visible. The concept that is illustrated is that vacuum in our minds, in our spirits, in our physicality, that desires unconditional love. It is the vacuum within, the yawning hole, the deep void, that is seldom satisfied.

When people worship Mother Mary they may internalize the love that she signifies and experience some relief from the desperate desire for love. Compassionate love Goddesses are universal. In China she is Quan Yin, in Tibet she is Tara. These images used as a spiritual practice can facilitate blissful meditations.

The archaic Italian word madonna was originally a formal address to any woman. (Wikipedia)

Lately, the past year or so, my art has been exploring, "the human need to worship", Historically humans worshiped deities, currently many worship CELEBRITIES. Humans have a worship need. A psychological need for a bigger than life entity. We need heroes to identify with, to emulate, or in order to express deep psychological issues.

Lead by my muse, my art work has been exploring the persistent attributes of worshipees, a term that I have coined to group deities and celebrities together.

My picture "John Belushi was the Human Incarnation of Bacchus", draws attention to the hedonistic characteristics of both these entities. They are a sublimation of our wish to throw caution to the wind and embrace decadence. We enjoy Belushi acting like an undisciplined slob. Watching "Animal House" satisfies our desire to eat, drink and be merry, but, with out the hangover. Bacchus, as the patron God of Mardi Gras, permits unrestrained acting out during a prescribed period of time. After the holiday most of us return to sober work a day behavior.

"Oprah is the Reincarnation of Cleopatra", correlates the Queen of Egypt with the Queen of Television. And plays on the exotic African similarity. We desire the power of Oprah and Cleopatra.

Many of you may note the influence of Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell. I read these authors a few decades past. Their theories sounded a note of truth for me. Their principles have been deeply entwined in my personal belief system. They expressed these concepts much better than I can.

This series of art has afforded me much food for fantasy, contemplation, and expression. I am curious to see where it will lead.

Peace, Love and Art,

Janet

(File under the "I am not going there category": what happens to people who emulate Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton. Both got their start from a sex tape. Both are now famous for being famous. Both have no fear of being tacky.)