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Our Lady of the Foam
Our Lady of the Foam

Spinning Pearls from Foam

I was inspired by the Botticelli imagery in Birth of Venus to create a mythical creature spinning pearls from foam while dancing amid crashing breakers and sparkling jewels washed up on the beach.

In this painting, Trevi Fountain like creatures of Neptune struggle in the waves. Stairs modeled on the Doge's palace appear to act as a conveyor belt to the moon, moving the tides that disgorge shells and jewels on the sands.

A sailing ship on the left horizon appears precariously perched on the edge and Neptune's Palace fills out the right horizon. The stylized scallop shell appears as an architectural element in the sky. The scallop shell has been a symbol with many meanings, resurrection, baptism, rebirth, as well as the special symbol of St. James.

The image appears to me to be a Tarot card full of symbolic meaning, which I am unable to decipher. I suppose that is ever the artist's dilemma.

 

 

 

 

 

lantern cuppola
diamond