Conrad SatalaNovember 21, 2016Comment

Stack of Art

Conrad SatalaNovember 21, 2016Comment

Reception and Show in Celebration

Frida Kahlo As A Mermaid

I have admired Mexican artist Frida Kahlo for a long time. Frida demonstrated tremendous courage because of physical and emotional wounds. However many people don’t know that Frida also had a very playful side to her nature, and this painting was created to celebrate this part of her character.

We see Frida as a mermaid, wearing her favorite black Mexican dress converted into fins and a mermaid torso, her lace blouse and famous red shawl gracefully draped around her arms. She holds her painter’s palette in one hand and her brushes in the other. She smiles at us with her famous ‘hand’ earring dangling down next to her chin.

There are lots of icons that represent different parts of Frida's paintings. I have had fun putting them in this work. She loved animals, so we have her famous green parrots on her shoulders. The deer she had at her home is peeking out of the forest of leaves and her tiny black dog sits next to her knees. She loved monkeys and had several as pets. We catch a glimpse of one hanging from a palm tree.

I painted this painting to celebrate Frida’s life and to remind us that we need to embrace the gift of life itself. Life is precious and Frida found a way, even through her pain, to find laughter, joy and delight in everything. Let’s meet our dreams with the same vitality and lust for life.

Frida Makes A Splash

Frida is a mermaid diva! She follows cruise ships just waiting for those expensive charm bracelets to fall overboard showing up on her wrist. She waits for those belly-button rings to slide off the deck and wind up in her tail as a golden fin ring.

Frida is the Sirena that loves her bangles and pearls, and she knows how to wear them. Her necklace is filed with iconic charms from all her paintings. There is her two green parrots, her dancing deer as well as her favorite hairless black dog named Xolo.

There are lovebirds and a burning heart as well as her pet monkey playing hide and seek on her bracelet.

She wears her watermelon as a hat and lots of her favorite flowers that attract humming birds even out to sea. She has such a flare for the dramatic, and she is a fashion queen. She is even smoking her cigarettes in its sleek cigarette holder she used to love to use. No telling whom she’s lured to play with her, perhaps it's you!

Frida Kahlo was a famous Mexican painter and my hero for the courage and vitality she lived her life.

Goddess Of Wisdom Tree

This painting was inspired by the deep energies of the ancient past and its reflection upon the Divine as feminine in nature. The people of the earth 50,000 years ago, and up through time, saw the Spirit of Nature as a Great Mother. She was the all-pervading force of the earth and the cosmos. She birthed the world and all of its animals and plants, making humanity the stewards of Her kingdom.

Nature was imbued with Her powers, so Her presence was felt in sacred locations and aspects of nature. Thus all was alive with Her essence. One could communicate with Her spirit through sacred nature. Water, rocks, mountains, plants, and the earth itself were Her oracles. Everything became a repository of Her energy; energy that could be found in concentrated areas, making them holy. Like a treasure chest, the right person could open these objects in nature and learn Her secrets.

Trees were part of this network of Holy Wisdom. People like you or me could congregate in sacred groves of trees to sit and learn what Nature herself had to teach. There are many stories of the Oracles of Trees, and the idea of the Tree of Knowledge grew out of these very old traditions. This idea stirred a creative spark in me to paint a painting that addressed this concept.

I think we can open to the gifts of nature and let these gifts grow in us as wisdom. The wisdom of the ancient ideas is as fresh today as in the past. We are the stewards of Nature herself and we can learn from her and let her each us to heal the Earth and in turn heal ourselves.

The tree becomes a symbol of growing up towards knowledge. Mother Natureâ€™s body is the hills and mountains of Earth. Her body is covered in images from the distant past when we new who she was and how valuable our environment was. Her heart has a single bloom open and lighted with an invitation to feel compassion.

Ever growing and evergreen she looks to us to preserve her life and meaning.

Golden Goddess Of The Alchemical Heart

The Golden Goddess before you is all about the power of the heart to love. Her golden heart radiates gold light. This painting is an invitation to open to the power to love deeply and freely inside of you.

This work was inspired by the legends that revolved around and ancient art called alchemy. It was thought for several hundred years during the Middle Ages that base metal through various chemical processes could be turned into gold.

However the true meaning of this seeming quest for physical gold was actually a spiritual quest. The base metal was actually a metaphor for our basic human self. We can live ordinary lives of routine and do ordinary things. Yet the alchemists believed something greater lived within us all. So the quest for turning metal to gold was actually something completely different.

This was not a chemical process but a spiritual philosophy about changing our basic nature into a gold self. The question was asked how could we rise to greatness becoming a golden human being? A human being wise and loving and free of our fear nature.

One of the alchemist’s secrets of this transformational process was all about finding the power of love that resides inside of us. To let it not be held back for a special few people in our lives but to let this love flow freely. What makes us move out of the ordinary banal world we live in? The energy of love freely given is the alchemist’s answer. Letting love shared turns our life into a golden experience.

So I see this female form as the Spirit of Love. Offering us her heart and the rose of love as it transforms into the flowing waters of life. For love freely given is like receiving cool water on a dry day. The waters of life spill into the crescent Moon. The Moon in this painting is about a new phase of its cycle or put simple becoming new.

So our Spirit of love is covered in golden designs. Crowned in gold and held in a cloak of golden leaves to remind us we are made of gold and treasures and riches waiting to refresh our life. Through the alchemical power of the heart to love we can be transformed and love set free in us can change the world we live in.

Green Goddess Of Nature

This image is the embodiment for me of the Green Goddess of Nature, a creator and giver of new life. Her purpose is to be the stimulant of energies for growth and prosperity. She quickens a new life that emerges and grows out of the old, reminding us that green energy is the power behind all things.

My paintings are rich with symbolism based on cultures from around the world. The color Green is the color I associate with compassion and new life. Blue is creativity and Red is vitality. The ivy in her headdress represents the gracious and joyful act of embracing all of life and being connected to the world.

Moths and butterflies are images of the transformation of human life changing into a sacred nature of purpose and service to all. Her leaf dress transitions from fall to spring and back again, melting from orange to green, as do the cycles of the seasons of the year. The humming bird symbolically means the human soul in many cultures throughout the world. I imagine we are viewing Mother Nature in the act of giving energy or life to us the children of humanity. It is creation happening right before our eyes.

I feel this painting is to inspire the power to grow our hopes and dreams the way Mother Nature grows the world we love into being.

Hand Of Peace

The Hand of Peace IN PURPLE
VITARKA MUDRA
The Gift of Wisdom

In the Far East holy men and women talk with their hands. The fingers move to a posture that is a spiritual sign language called “mudras”.

This painting is the representation of the great teaching posture or mudra known as “Teach Only Love.” The Buddha himself is said to have used this hand gesture to communicate silently with his followers. Upon arriving at a large gathering of people, he would stand with his hands in this position before he delivered his sermons.

In this painting a dove is emerging from the fingertips of the sacred hand telling us to not only to teach love, but to also to teach peace. The dove is not just a symbol of peace, but of wisdom—wisdom that we can shared with our families and friends and all that we know.

Peace may not be something we can bring the world all by ourselves. Maybe we have to begin the journey to know peace by first understanding it ourselves. We can cultivate peaceful feelings.

Peace can come to us a little at a time. In quite mornings at sunrise or standing in a softly falling rain. Peace can be felt when we are looking up at the wonder of the heavens above us. Peace can lead us to wisdom and an open heart.

This painting is about letting the dream of peace be apart of us. Both in the little moments and the larger dream. Peace is a worthy principle and we need more of it in our world today.

I dedicate this painting to all Teachers, Body Worker’s and Massage Therapists and people who heal with their hands.

Ianna Lady Of Heaven

This painting was created in celebration of the principle of the Sacred Feminine that comes out of the Middle East. Ianna was from the ancient region called Mesopotamia. She was sacred to her people and inspired a golden age of beautiful poetry and a time when the arts flourished. People were prosperous and generous to one another. She was the great constant in people�s lives, providing spiritual connection to the unseen world and championing humanity to be wise and live purposeful lives.

I re-imagined her as removing her cloak to reveal her presence again in the world. That she brings balance and hope to us all. She is the power of the Sun to grow new ideas. She is the quite night with the stars and the Moon promising us peace. I brought her to life again to remember that her journey up from the distant past is valuable for us all to bring to life once again.

Kwan Yin

Her name is Kwan Yin. Kwan literally means ‘Earth’ and Yin means “Energy.’ So her name means that she is the Energy of the Earth. She is in a female form and is known to everyone throughout Asia as a living and active spiritual deity accessible to all who call upon her.

I used the color blue in this painting to depict serenity and calm. The color blue in ancient traditions is also representative of creativity, and is symbolic of speaking and creating words of wisdom. Blue then adds to the effect of serenity that can fill us with peace as we gaze upon her image.

I depicted Kwan Yin with butterfly wings so she can travel to wherever she needs to go to reach us in seconds, bringing with her the transformative power of her mercy and compassion.

The hands are in the position known as a mudra. This mudra is saying: Teach only Love. The gesture is sending compassion into the world and into us. She holds a flame on her fingertips to ignite compassion in our heart with her touch.

Kwan Yin is our emissary on Earth to bring us kindness, mercy and compassion. She shows us that we can live in the energy of her wisdom. We only have to look at her image and her power of grace is wakened with us.

Madonna Of The Rose

There is a European tradition of painting the Virgin Mary as a rose. The Rose is considered her symbol of depicting beauty and purity of heart. This is my interpretation of the Rose Madonna. She holds her son in a graceful lift of her left arm, with her other hand holding a green wreath of leaves. The leaves represent victory over fear.

In the other hand she holds a pomegranate, a fruit that is often associated with the Madonna. The fruit is filled with seeds. They represent the seeds of possibilities and the growing of dreams.

The rose is red for vitality and shaded with pink for love and compassion. She wears a crown of leaves, because she is Mother of the Earth and is its protector.

Her image is depicted as being in full bloom. Showing us that her spirit lives through the ages as a timeless reminder of the link to the power of love ever fresh ever growing.

Her gifts to us include her son, as the “light of the world”. To remind us we are full of the seeds of possibilities. She guides us calmly through our troubles in the world and shows us our way into the realm of Wisdom. A living embodiment of wisdom lives in her and is gifted to us. She is the eternal rose of hope, love and grace.

Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene is a powerful figure in the Bible and a mysterious one. I had a dream of Mary Magdalene and in the dream she asked me to paint her as the true women she really was. This led me to do extensive research about her. I learned that she never was a prostitute but instead a wise and learned women. There is strong evidence to believe that she was a student of Jesus.

In 1896 a manuscript was found in Cairo, Egypt. It was called the Teachings of Mary Magdalene. It was eventually translated by the scholar Jean-Yves Leloup. This scholar carefully and lovingly worked with every single word of the manuscript to bring us an amazing glimpse into Mary Magdaleneâ€™s life. Showing us she was a scholar and a very spiritual women and a teacher of principles of wisdom. In this document she was called the â€œWoman Who Knew Allâ€.

I painted her in bright red, as it is a color associated with vibrancy and vitality. Her head is decorated with a golden veil as a symbol of precious knowledge. She holds a chalice in her hands with a Tree of Life on it. Holding as an invitation to drink and â€œknowâ€. I paid close attention to depicting her face with grace and compassion, attributes she is said to have display often in her lifeâ€™s journey. I found in painting this work and researching her life a profound respect for her and the amazing women she was.

Sacred Circle

This painting was inspired by a very ancient legend. The legend goes like this. In the Beginning when there was no time or space. Out of the dark of eternal night. A call went out from the void. The call was from the spirits of all those that wanted to be born.

The unborn birds called out and the unborn animals called too. The rain called out and the Sun and Moon called out to be born. The unborn trees called out and the unborn plants and insects called out. Even the souls of women and man called out. They called out all at once and all together they wanted to be born.

The Creator sent the Spirit of Wisdom called Sophia and upon hearing this great calling out to be born. She began to create by molding the stuff of Stars and space and time itself together. She created a great and beautiful blue egg. She blew from her breath of life upon the egg and the egg turned into the Earth.

The fire from Her inner light stirred the Earth with creativity. Then a great magic happened to the Earth. It came alive and all things grew and were given voice and all life and all things came into full being including us. The legend says they all lived in harmony for a very, very long time. Some say we all long for that perfect peace we once knew so long ago.

So remember we are born in wisdom and infused with creativity and we should always celebration being alive because it is our gift from Sophia herself.

Goddess Of The Sea

A few years ago I had to prepare my childhood home for sale. It required going through the process of sorting an abundance of furniture and other household items. As I worked my way through the house from the bottom up, there in the attic I discovered some childhood drawings. I imagine I had been about five when I drew them, and I discovered that they were drawings of mermaids. Surprised and delighted, I realized that I had been creating mythic and fantasy themes for much longer than I had thought. Therefore, I set about researching the mythic legend of the Mermaid.

From my research I now know that the mermaid is a powerful symbol for all of us. The mermaid is half human, half fish. That makes it a divine creature, a blend of two species in one. The human half represents intelligence and ingenuity. The fish half is a symbol of spirituality. To be both means that we are looking at a being which is at home on the land of Earth (the physical realm) and in Water (the realm of the mind). Mermaids are also singers of powerful songs, collectors of treasures, and prone to rescue capsized victims of storms and other mishaps at sea.

This painting was inspired from my early connection to Mermaid lore. This is no ordinary Mermaid; she is the Goddess of all mermaids. She wears her many collected treasures, collected from both the world of humans and of the sea.

I also research the meaning of color and incorporate that symbology in the use of color in my paintings. With that in mind, I chose bright pink for her fish tail, because pink means love. The lotus flowers at her knees are symbolic of the power of Spirit, the power to rise to light, as does the flower from the depths of its base. Surrounded by blue water, she brings us the possibilities of finding our own treasures of life.

Mermaids, in some legends, are said to carry the power to grant wishes. So she comes to you as the Goddess to grant you wishes and to reveal treasures to your spirit. Enjoy the search!

The Open Heart

The title of this painting is The Open Heart. I infused it with the color pink for it is the color of love, and it fills the image with its power.

The dawn is breaking open and the sun is rising to open up the day of possibilities. The female figure is leaning forward and she is the Goddess of Love. Out from her heart flies deep purple butterflies, all-bursting forth from her body.

Ancient people saw the butterfly as the symbol of resurrection. Like a caterpillar that is of the ground and only sees the ground, it has limited perceptions. The caterpillar has the power to undergo metamorphosis and transformation. The old is made new, the lost is then found. The butterfly is free to travel wherever it wishes to go, it is free.

So each butterfly that is flying out into the world from the Goddess of Love's chest is to be named by you. They can be called forth as compassion, renewal, hope, love or imagination. You can decide what they represent for you.

What is it that you need to release into the world? I invite you to break open your heart and dream and dream free.

Queen Of Heaven

I am often inspired by my dreams and that’s how I came to paint this painting. I saw the field of creation ablaze with purple and blue with stars and planets swirling in a musical harmony. Then as if slipping on a dress a female figure stepped forward and reaches up and dressed herself with all of creation flowing around her.
Her hair was ablaze like the fiery sun and the moon sat on her forehead like a crown. In one hand she held a green stem symbolizing nature and from her other hand lightening sparked from her fingertips ready to energies anything that needed to be brought to life.
I found that the image almost painted itself and then it stopped. I could go any farther. I felt there was more to paint but I could not find my way to the next part. Then in a second dream came to me and I saw that there were four ancient Goddess symbols placed in the four directions on a border banding the painting.
First was Golden winged Egyptian Goddess ISIS. Sitting on top of the painting symbolizing protection. Below was The Mayan Moon Goddess and she represented illumination. Then to the right the ancient Neolithic Great Mother with Spirals around her symbolizing love of nature and the Earth. On the left was Athena from ancient Greece symbolic of courage and inner strength.
The borders were red and with black paint in a very ancient pictographs style the symbols all representing women dancing and celebration feminine powers.
When I finished I realized I had created a piece of artwork that reflected the powers of women hood and beyond as the Queen of Heaven walked from the Universe onto my canvas.

Serenity Of The Emerald Moon

The story of this painting begins with the Moon. For centuries the Moon has been thought of as the symbol of the feminine principle. It is symbolic of the changes of the seasons and the moving of the tides in the oceans, the powers of cycles and of change.

The Moon disappears and reappears and rolls across the sky in a timeless dance that never ends, speaking to us of what has been and what is and what can be.

This painting is an invitation to be embraced by wholeness, as the Moon is a circle of unity. To let go of confusion and crisis and find a quite place inside ourselves is an act of trusting and surrender. If we surrender we can also receive the wisdom of the ages. Life has many cycles that support us if we let them. I encourage you to open and receive Serenity.

Teach Only Love

In the Far East holy men and women talk with their hands. The fingers move to a posture that is a spiritual sign language called "mudras."

This painting is the representation of the great teaching posture or mudra known as "Teach Only Love." The Buddha himself is said to have used this hand gesture to communicate silently with his followers. Upon arriving at a large gathering of people, he would stand with his hands in this position before he delivered his sermons.

In this painting I have a heart blooming from the fingertips of the ethereal hand of God telling us to teach only love. The heart is a symbol of love that we hold for our family and friends. The cosmic setting in blue space reminds us that love is not meant just for those we know. It is reminding us to love our planet and all humanity. I feel the hand is gifting us unconditional love.

Light is radiating from the finger and thumb that are pressing together because love lights our way through darkness, showing us the way to truth. I would add that blue is the color of creativity, of expression and of hope. This painting then is an invitation to share our love with the world and to fill our hearts with hope.

This is a perfect gift for Teachers, Body Workers and Massage Therapists

Blue Phoenix Fire Mystery

The Mystery of the Phoenix is revealed within its Chinese legend. The Phoenix, whose real Chinese name is Feng Huang, lives for a life span of five hundred years. After five hundred years of life, it circles the globe looking for a great fire. When it finds that fire, the bird, without hesitation, dives into the fire and is consumed. All that is left of it, is sacred ash. In Oriental tradition this sacred ash contains all of the essence of who and what the Phoenix was.

Through some mysterious process of alchemy, the Phoenix undergoes a transformation from life to death to rebirth, and its ashes regenerate back to life. From the remains of the fire emerges a new Phoenix bird. It is said that through this transformational process, the knowledge that was acquired in its old life has now turned into wisdom. The new bird is filled not just with knowledge of its world, but also with the wisdom of compassion, mercy and renewal. Thus, the whole bird becomes a sacred and holy being.

The woman in the painting is a Goddess of the Phoenix and of Rebirth, Regeneration, Renewal and Wisdom. She wears the crown of two blue Phoenix birds. In Chinese myth it was possible that if, by some extraordinary blessing of the gods you were to find a Phoenix bird’s feather, just one feather had the power to heal and regenerate you, bringing you immortality. Such was the power of the Phoenix.

Our Goddess wears many feathers, thus showing her healing ability. In the center between the feathers is a flame-colored butterfly. It represents the fire the Phoenix dives into, fire being a symbol of purity, and the butterfly of resurrection.

The feathers of the Phoenix look very much like those of its earthly cousin, the Peacock. The spiritual “eye” in the middle of each feather reminds us that this Goddess had powerful or mystical inner vision. The many pearls of her crown are a symbol of “the pearl of great price” spoken of in ancient texts, pearls being the representation of wisdom, compassion, and mercy.

The Goddess is clothed in blue, the color of water, the holder of deep dreams and remembering. Blue is the color that is associated with the Yoga tradition of the “chakras” and is the life energy of creativity. The dragon on her collar reminds us of “chi,” the energy of life in the throat as breath and voice.

So our Goddess is inviting you to be open to regeneration from the old self you once were into the wise self you are meant to become, living the dreams you are called to fulfill.

Three Faces Of Frida

This Painting was inspired by my travels in Mexico and my admiration for the Mexican women artist Frida Kahlo. I am amazed by her incredible life and to honor her I traveled to Mexico City to learn more about her by visiting her house.

Walking through Frida's home called Casa Azul (The Blue House) I was struck by the connection and strength she felt from her ancient roots. The house is decorated with ancient statues of many Mexican cultures.

These statues were her inspiration. One of the cultures reflected in her painting of herself is that of great and powerful women wearing a mask from Teotihuac'n. She is being held in the arms of the Great Mother also know as Spider Women a goddess from the ancient city of Teotihuac'n. The painting is called My Nurse and I. So the first panel in the painting is of the Great Goddess of Teo herself looking out at us in her green finery.

There are many Retablo's (small wall paintings) filling the house walls calling forth miracles through prayers to the Virgin of Guadalupe who is ever present in these small paintings. Walking through her home I realized how Frida has drawing strength from all these images that filled her house. This then was the image of Guadalupe that I selected as the third panel.

Frida's image became the second middle panel with a necklace of vines growing around her neck. There is a famous painting of Frida with a necklace of thorns around her neck. However I changed it to a growing, green necklace. To symbolize her amazing spirit of vitality and courage.

The first panel is the Goddess of Teotihuac'n, the Second Panel is Frida Kahlo, and the third panel is Guadalupe as the Mother of Love. Frida's burning heart beats as one joining forces with all three images to become the courageous women she is inspiring us to be courageous and loving human beings capable of great and wonderful things.

Frida Kahlo Shoe

Maria Sophia

Marie Antoinette Heels

Marie Antoinette is perhaps the most famous queen of history. She was the Queen of France in 1774. Even though today so many years have passed she still is being written about. In her time she was portrayed as a villain who cared nothing for her people. However after many centuries and new research into her life a new picture of her has been revealed.

She is shown again and again to have been a loving person and a hands-on mother, unheard of in her time and station in life. Her early life was at first a very lonely existence. Yet in time she overcame these barriers and found a sense of style and creativity inside of herself that still impresses us today.

She inspired the first fashion magazine in history. Her sense of design improved the palaces, gardens and created a whole new deign movement caller Rococo. She was infinitely creative with cloths and designed her own cloths and shoes. She studied progressive philosophy and favored treating people with dignity.

It is her fashion sense that still intrigues us and makes us smile with delight. So we kick up our heels for her and for beauty, fashion and creativity.

Mystery

I feel mystery is a spirit that lives among us. She comes to us to remind us that life is a mystery. We turn a corner in life and we may find ourselves at a crossroads of a new beginning. Why be afraid of mystery. Why not follow where she leads us. Who knows what you can discover.

Mystery is the sparkle in someone's eyes. Telling us come with me and discover something new! Mystery is the candle on the birthday cake saying your young at heart if you want to be. Mystery is that first bloom of spring. She is the awakening of nature after winters last breath is gone.

Mystery is around the next corner, over the hill and certainly already waiting for you to arrive and have an adventure today. Mystery is the Spirit of surprise and her gift is to keep us on our toes and believe that life's not over till it's over.

That if we let her lead us we might not know exactly what can happen but life can be sweet and magical if we are open to the Mystery she offers us.

Legend Of Juno And The Peacock

There is a myth about the Goddess Juno. It would seem that long, long ago the peacock was very plain and it went to Juno Goddess of Nature and said to her that all the birds had there own beautiful identity.s. The robin had a red chest and the Nightingale a lovely song.

The peacock said it had none of these attributes and could not serve Mother Nature well and it made him sad. So Juno called him forth and she put him in her arms and held him tenderly. She blew her breath on top of his head and he was instantly transformed. His head had a crown and his body was covered in hundreds of feathers shaped like eyes. He was dazzling to behold as he spread his tail and shoot it with delight.

Juno said from this day forward you will serve nature by being my eyes and everywhere you go you will see for me what needs to be done in the world. So it was that the Goddess of Spring, weddings and joy made the peacock her favorite bird. Who when he was not seeing the world for Juno was often seen cuddled up in her arms.

Spirit Of The Winter's Moon

This painting is about a phase of the year that’s called the Winter Moon. This is the time of year in the Midwest where everything looks cold and barren. Yet inside the heart of the season there is a greening that is still held alight. Spring is nested in winter and the season at rest breaks open into a Season of life.

This is the spirit of Mother Nature in her winter form. Cloaked in green leaves and walking in the blowing wind she walks in grace and joy. Although the winter wind blows all around her she is still vibrantly alive as She is evergreen and her heart glows strong, red with life and ready’s to bring life to all she touches under the grace of the bright shining Moon.

I think of this painting inspiring all of us to believe in life and affirm growth and wisdom. That no matter the seasons in our life or the difficulty we feel or existence we are always capable of choosing to believe in the powers of winter leading us to Spring. Letting our green show through into our life and grow afresh and renewed.

Empress of the Crystal City of Light

This painting was painted is an invitation to partake of the light of creation. The light that is to be found in the beautiful Crystal City floating in space beside the mysterious women dressed in Purple. To get to this crystal city you need to ask the Gatekeeper who is the Goddess of Wisdom herself. She sits in her regal power with Her butterfly crown of lace symbolizing transformation. Her purple wings resting on her shoulders ready to fly you on your journey to her kingdom, high in the Universe. What is the key to unlock this world to you? The answer is compassion for yourself and for others. Live the golden rule and you are invited to travel to and be part of a city of light, goodness and well-being.

FLY HIGH MY FRIEND, FLY WITH THE GODDESS OF WISDOM!

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Goddess of the Sacred Oak

I find that in my artwork I have several continual themes and the Tree of Life is one of them. It is a symbol of the Sacred Feminine or the Goddess of Nature. The Goddess of Nature is a creator or generator of life. Where she walks, flowers grow. When she sighs, her breath becomes the wind. All of life is her living body. Her presence is seen and felt in both forest and city. She is everywhere.

I was inspired to do this version of the Sacred Feminine spirit by a visit to a friend’s home. As I walked the property, I saw a great oak tree that was thought to be hundreds of years old because of its huge size. The tree was shaped like a woman’s body, and it even had a profile of a woman’s face curving at the top of it. I came back to the studio and did some research on the oak tree and found it was connected strongly to the Druids and the ancient religions of England and France. I learned that in ancient times the Oak tree was thought to be “The Tree of Life,” the place where all of life was created and from which everything emerged. The oak tree lasts many human lifetimes and even in the winter, when it appears to be dead, it is in fact still alive, reborn in the spring, making it the perfect symbol of eternal life. The great tree also was seen as a bridge between heaven and earth—a bridge, if you will, for Wisdom of the higher spiritual forces to travel down its trunk to us. So for the Druids, the Oak was filled with magical properties, including everything from its blossom to its seed, the mighty acorn. Every part of the tree was imbued with sacred properties. Its strength and beauty were powerful, and anything made from oak held these properties and became magical.

So my painting of the Goddess of the Sacred Oak Tree is depicted in this painting as the bringer of Prosperity, Eternal Life, Good Health, and Magical Powers. The Goddess is dressed in the color green, symbolic of ever-renewing life. Her dress is decorated in golden leaves and acorns. Gold is the color of prosperity and denotes great preciousness. Her crown is filled with gems of the earth. A moon and stars hang from her crown, reminders of her magical feminine powers. The borders of the painting are covered with spirals that are the signature symbol of the power of the Goddess. The Spiral represents the continual renewal of eternal life.

For me the Green Goddess of the Sacred Oak emanates quiet compassion. She has an aura of mystery about her. She is wise and compassionate and she emanates self-renewing life. She is an invitation to explore her mysteries and grow and create a new life.

LET HER WISDOM GUIDE YOU!

Conrad Satala