Art Events: PowHERful

Divina shown at the Springville Museum of Art Spiritual and Religious show, 2023

Starting March 5th and going through the 28th, my painting titled Divina will be a part of an exhibit at the Compass Gallery in Provo, Utah. The group show is titled PowHERful and according to the gallery’s website:

“The PowHERful show this year explores the ides of a sovereign woman as she turns to God, trusts her personal revelation, and stands by it. Rooted in her understanding of her divine nature, she embraces sovereignty not as separation, but as sacred self-authorship and authority—of mind, body, spirit, and story. Her sovereignty does not conflict with her discipleship; it reveals and deepens it. As a follower of Christ, she perceives the holy interconnectedness of all God’s children, labors to build Zion, and exercises her agency to become ever more like her Heavenly Parents, even as she fulfills the measure of her creation.” Source

My Divina painting was created with this exact theme in mind, but long before this show was even a possibility. This post will explore the creation and concept behind my painting and hopefully motivate some of you to go and see the art show in person.

Reference image used in the creation of DIVINA courtesy of Howard Lyon

My concept was a simple one. A few of my friends were having babies and that struck me as an incredibly powerful symbol for all different kinds of creation. That isn’t a new concept, it’s been used to symbolize much throughout history, religious or otherwise.

My inspiration for this piece was to explore the divine feminine nature, or our capacity to BECOME; something greater and more powerful than we can now see. I was struck by feelings of inadequacy, I felt stuck and incapable of facing all the things life threw at me, and this image brought me peace, it reminded me that I am still developing as a human being and as a woman, and as a child of God.

Painting in progress, paper taped to protect the stained “frame”

We are just like an infant, growing in the womb of life. Life is unfair, uncomfortable, and painful. As we wrestle with so many negative feelings and experiences, it can be hard to find the greater perspective. But we are goddesses in utero, in training, experiencing growing pains that often leave us feeling like we are powerless. Like an infant growing in its mother’s belly, so are we growing so that someday we may transcend mortality to reach our full divine potential.

Varnishing the painting and the wood stain after the painting had dried

Visually, I wanted to represent that. The feeling of being confined, and of feeling too small for what life can throw at you. It gives me great comfort to realize that I don’t need to know and be everything right now. I can let myself take life as it comes, and even when it feels more than I can handle, I know that I am not alone in the struggle.

Close up images of the finished painting

I like to think that despite her close confinement, the woman in my painting looks peaceful. She is unencumbered by her tight quarters, she knows that she is a goddess in training. I hope that by viewing this painting, it brings the same sense of future power and potential that is accessible right now to everyone who sees it.

Besides the concept, this painting was also a very fun one to paint. I let myself experiment with skin tones in a way I never had before, and I felt I learned a lot about how to paint a human body, though I don’t do it very often.

The finished painting

The show is at the Compass Gallery and the opening reception is in the evening of March 6th. Beyond that, the show will be up at the gallery through the month of March, closing on the 28th. I hope that if you are in the area, you will stop by and see my painting, and others, in person. And give yourself the opportunity to ponder on the many different concepts stemming from the theme of the show, the power inherent in women.