In Greek mythology, Nyx was the primordial goddess of the night. A shadowy figure, Nyx stood at or near the beginning of creation, and was the mother of gods such as Hypnos (sleep) and Thánatos (death). Her appearances in mythology are sparse, but reveal her as a figure of exceptional power and beauty.
Nyx is also described as a shapeshifting water spirit who usually appears in human form. She has appeared in the myths and legends of Germanic peoples in Europe. In its broadest sense, shapeshifting is when a being (usually human) either has the ability to change its shape into that of another person, creature, or other entity or finds its shape involuntarily changed by someone else. Here she has become woman from the nature of the water which created her.
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.
