The Goddess Within

"The Goddess Within"  (Acrylic Mixed Media, 16" x 20")  C. Eastwood, © 2015

Still experimenting with the new techniques I learned in my last class.  This is an absolute departure from my usual style of painting and I found myself fighting it at first.  I could see the person trying to come out, but she was so stylized and unlike my usual portrait-work.  But the painting would not be denied, and once I decided to just let it go and see where it went, she came out of hiding.

I was thinking how -- much like this painting -- we hold preconceived ideas of how we should look. As women, we are so unkind to ourselves whether it be our looks or our accomplishments (or lack thereof).  We can be terribly harsh critics.  (You should have heard my internal dialog as I was struggling with this painting at the beginning!!) So this is in tribute to each woman -- whatever her stage of life -- and the hope that she will accept and know she is precious just as she is.