Hope Change: Obama Babes

"Hope Change: Obama Babes" 22" wide x 28" high, acrylic on canvas. Change one of the most used words in 2008. It represents all the great hopes and dreams for children coming into the world. I started painting this after my nephew was born on 08.08.08 at 10:43 am (1+0+4+3=8). Eight is considered an auspicious lucky number in Chinese culture because the name sounds similar to the Chinese words for wealth and prosper. The central figure in the painting is like an aware man boy protectively wrapped like a cocoon inside a womb like atmosphere.  

As a global community let's be grateful for the freedoms we have here and to be aware of human rights violations happening presently in other countries.

Lubna Hussein a journalist who works for the UN in Sudan was arressted in a cafe along with 12 other women for wearing pants, her trial is set for August 4th, 2009. Article 152 in Sudanese Law prohibits women from wearing pants in public. It falls under "indecent acts" according to Sudan's strict interpretation of Islamic law. If convicted she could face 40 lashings, a human rights violation according to UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.

Update

H1B1 Visa Girl; Indentured I-485 Green Card Goddess

"H1B1 Visa Girl: Indentured Green Card Goddess"
48" wide x 60", acrylic on canvas. It is me remembering the story of my grandmother's ancestors who came to Jamaica as indentured servants from China. Her clothing references body wrapping; figure uprooted and hovering in place, not yet planted. Her eyes convey hope to the future generations that will come after her. "The Goddess in Every Girl" by Marie-Jeanne Abadie encourages readers to explore their female family history and get a jump on taking control of their own goddess life.

Women Warriors

"Warrior Woman" 48" wide x 23" high acrylic on canvas. Inspired by tribal bellydancers, weapon dances, female goddesses of the hunt - Diana (Roman), Artemis (Greek), Asian female warrior's Hua Mulan and Wang Cong'er. Her necklace is inspired by a Kit Rae knife design and the knives she holds are inspired by knife designer Gil Hibben. The Amazon horse women who I was taught were just myth do exist, there is evidence of graves found in Russia of women buried with weapons. Archaeologist Jeanine Davis-Kimball's book "Warrior Women: An Archaeologist's Search for History's Hidden Heroines" goes indepth. Some of the weapons found buried with the women were battle axes, I can't help but wonder if the derogatory slang term "battle axe" (synonyms: battleaxe, old bat, old battleaxe, old dame, old girl, old prune, old witch) a noun used to describe a domineering, aggressive, sharp-tempered person, esp. a woman has anything to do with forgotton historical women warriors.

Click here for answers to the questions: Did Amazon warrior women, the Antiope and Hippolyte belong to an extinct matriarchal warrior society? Or were they simply fictional characters depicted in ancient Greek mythology?

For some brief information on ancient queens and other warrior women who led their people into battle: Amazons, Queen Artemisia, Queen Boudicca, Queen Samsi, Queen Tomyris, Trung Sisters, Queen Zenobia click here. For more about distinguished Matriarchal African Warrior Tribes and African Warrior Queens click here!

"Beauty Bites Beast: Awakening the Warrior in Women and Girls" by Ellen Snortland who is a self defence advocate. Says that 1 in 3 women have been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in their lifetime. She believes if women learn to defend themselves things will drastically improve. Women today have risen into prominence in business, science, and as players on the political stage. However domestic violence and sexual and physical assault is still rampant, but is countered through legislation, political activism and, on a local level, through women's pursuit of fighting skills to defend themselves. At some point in history there were laws forbidding women from fighting, some refused to lay down their arms, disguised themselves as boys etc. Please click here to read more with respect to dates, periods and regions on Women Warriors (3500 BC to 20 Century), and maybe you will be inspired as to what your female warrior sisters did! If you are reading this and live in the Coral Gables, FL area consider taking a women's self defence class or enrolling in martial arts training at my friends US Kenpo Kai Karate Studio. Click here.

Kali

"Kali" 60" wide x 48" high, acrylic on canvas. My contemporary Kali is a global female warrior focused on clearing paths. She holds a Gil Hibben wood knife design, here I have made the knife stone referencing a story of the White Knife Clan people who carried white stone knives. Click here to read more about Kali Ma an often misunderstood goddess.

Kali is also a reality based martial arts system in the Phillipines, employing the use of several weapons.

Devotional Bengali music is known as Shyama Sangeet and features themes around the Hindu Goddess Kali.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ia4DWUBqEKY

Jamaica is home to many Indians who came as indentured laborers, they make up the second largest ethnic group in the island, the first being Africans. (Hinduism had an influence on the Rastafarians who often refer to marijuana as Kali- the Hindu goddess whose name means"great black mother whose invoking is usually associated with the lifting of sagging spirits). The vintage B&W photo from the National Library of Jamaica features two indian girls in Jamaica cooking rice (date unknown). To read more about the history of Indians in Jamaica click here.

Passion

"Passion" 12" x 16" Oil on canvas. She is a leader, decisive and confident attracting others through her brilliance and warmth. She encourages you to take risks, be unique and ignite your inner fire. She celebrates the gift of her menstrual cycle, honoring it as a time of being more psychic and intuitive. For more information on the historical significance of women's menstrual blood click here for an article by Adelheid Ohlig titled, "Women's Blood Mysteries". "Passion" is inspired by the following Fire Goddesses; Brigit a Celctic Fire Goddess associated with light, inspiration and skills associated with fire like weaponry, Pele the Hawaiian Volcano Goddess, Hestia Goddess of the Hearth and Oya the African Fire Goddess.
Click here to read more about the African Fire Goddess Oya from The African Realm of the forgotton goddess

For a list of names meaning fiery, fire, blaze, flame, burning, etc. click here.

Chinese Jamaican's

"Miss Young"
12" x 16" Oil on Canvas.
This painting is not a portrait, my process is to paint and allow these characters to emerge. She is titled Miss Young in honour of my half chinese maternal grandmother, whose maiden name was Young. My grandmother was born in 1923, she was a dressmaker who at my request made numerous doll clothes for my dollies.

Recently I was browsing through the Jamaica National Library's images on flickr and came across some images of Chinese Jamaican Ladies from the 1930's, they were newspaper announcements for their occupations such as; vocalist, doctor, cashier etc. It was uplifting to see how many were involved in family businesses, medicine, and especially the arts.

Top row: Miss Audrey Leahong, well known fancy painter, Dr. Hoashoo M.B. one of two lady doctor's in Jamaica, Miss Elma Fung, who is her father's cashier.
Bottom row: Miss Doris James, a well known vocalist at concerts, Miss Doris Chin Loy, Who is now studying in China and Miss Fay Hendrickson, assistant in her father's business.

To read more on the history of the Chinese in Jamaica click here.

River Mumma - Pond Mother

"Pond Mother"
12" x 16" oil on canvas. In Jamaica she is known as River Mumma, River Maiden and River Mistress usually appearing at mid-day. Legend has it that the fish in her fresh waters are her children and should not be caught as suffering will be a consequence for such an action and to catch her will cause the river to dry up. She dwells at the fountainhead of large canals and waterways acting as protector of the water and the animals that live in it. She is both sacred and feared in Jamaican folklore. "The River Mumma Wants Out" by Lorna Goodison implies that no one wants the responsibility of taking care of the things that matter most such as the environment. And when a country's mythological figure wants out, that cannot be read as a good omen.
"Pond Mother" is asking you to take care of her waterways and the environment as your eyes both meet at the bottom of her pond.

Goddesses; Sister's of the Sea

"Sea Sister"
12" x 16" Oil on canvas.
Most cultures have a mermaid story click here to read mermaid stories from around the world from the following countries: The Antilles, Ireland, Iceland, Yoruba, Chile, France, Native American, Native American - Ottawa, African American and my favorite from Trinidad by author Joseph L. Titled "The Mermaid's Twin Sister" here is an excerpt:

"Tilly?" I called softly. "Is that you, Tilly? I was whispering because my voice was hoarse from shouting. But she didn’t answer. She swam in front of me, pulling my long hair gently so I drifted behind her. She was heading toward the shore. And she swam quick like a fish, slicing through de water even smoother than she ever had before.

And when we got to the shallows, she let go my hair and whispered in a voice that sounded like a cloud floating on the sea. "They don’t know it’s two of us. So go now and be my earth self, and I’ll be your water self." Before I could answer, she turned fast and swam away. And all I could see was a long, beautiful fish slicing de waves."