figures
I traveled to Tuscany in late September of 2017. I journeyed to Florence and many small towns. All the sights, sounds, and smells were new and exciting. But of all the moments, one journey stood out in breathtaking detail, the Sacred Grove of Bomarzo. The Sacred Grove is a sprawling sculpture garden filled with mystical creatures craved out of stone. The huge statues are embedded in acres of lush vegetation and sheltering woodlands. I walked through the garden and came upon a large terrace with two sirens - one with a forked scaly tail and the other with dragon's wings. The sculpture with the forked fish tail was Echidna a siren who inhabits the world ruled by Persephone, wife of the god of the Underworld. She sat grounded legs apart breathing in the rootedness of the Earth. A cool breeze rustled the canopy of trees which combined with the bright sunlight to create leafy shadows dappled on Echidna's breast. I was mesmerized. Later that evening in my room at the Villa, I created sixteen headless Echidna torsos. With pen and ink, I captured the many forms of women. And finished each with washes of color and small jewels of adornments.