The Moss Woman (La Mujer Musgo)
This piece is mixed media and part of the series, “Things of the Heart”. It was also inspired by Extremadura, a region of Spain.
Artist’s Insight
Also known as ‘Coming Out of the Dark’, it is an oil painting inspired by personal experiences. The contrasts between light and dark, warm and cold, harmonize with the elements of nature and my relationship with music is represented by the guitar carved out of the green ebony. The moss represents coolness, freshness and protection, the fire is a symbol of passion, the power that keeps us alive, loving and living life to the fullest surrounded by the power of nature, the mother of all
creation.
We have all we need right in our hands, in this little heart produced by fire, protected by the coolness and purity of our own moss. In this heart is the fire that burns from within, and in it lies an inner force only waiting to be self-discovered and then released to all humanity in the shape of an
art piece, a poem, a song, all together forms of the masterpiece that already exists in each one of us.
My dream is to be all that I can be, doing music and art, the two great loves of my life. The best way to achieve this dream is by self-discovery, using art as the fire that ignites the power within me.
It is my hope that when contemplating ‘The Moss Woman’, all the viewers can ultimately discover their own power within.
The Significance of the Green Ebony
The green ebony is an endangered endemic species from the Dominican Republic, now protected with sanctions from the government for its use as a way to save it.
The significance of the dead green ebony tree in my painting is that it is a resource that can be sustainably used for example to build instruments that can spark the fire in artists instead of leaving it hidden under the moss without reaping benefits for the rural people.
Therefore in this painting I also express my frustration for this injustice caused by these controversial environmental laws.