‘Bereza’ is the spirit name for the Goddess of the Birch Tree. In this painting the woman is blended into the landscape and her backbone, the strength of the tree.
Trees have inspired and protected us since time began, therefore many are associated with aspects of character and strength.
The birch is a symbol of strength. When glaciers of the last ice age receded, birch trees would have been one of the first to re-colonize the rocky, ice-scoured landscape. In botanical terms the birch is referred to as a pioneer species. Similarly in early Celtic mythology, the birch came to symbolize renewal and purification.
Women of Myth and Legend
This Series of paintings is a celebration of all aspects of women and the female energy of the Universe.
I have given each of the women a Mythical name, in one or two cases it is the name of a traditionally recognized Goddess, and in some I have created a name especially for her. I feel that modern society is short of the spiritual role model that is separate from, and not associated with, formal religion.
These myths, which used to be the foundation of our lives, have been overtaken by digital reality and the icons are now mortal and fallible, glitzy creatures of the media. When they fall from grace, our spiritual lives are depleted.
I invite you to view these new images in the spirit in which they were created: a celebration of a story that is our own.
