This is an ever-expanding and rotating juried exhibit of artworks by ASWM members. You may also want to visit our International Art Exhibition, “Wisdom Across the Ages,” which is available to view until September 9, 2021.
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More Member resources found through The Arts page.
Featured Artworks
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Goddess Icon Banner of Anadolu Twins, by Lydia Ruyle
Lydia says of this image, “The Anadolu Twins vibrate with the transformational energy of human relationships between parent-child, feminine-masculine, teacher-student, friend-foe, spirit-matter, idea-reality. Nothing in the universe exists in isolation. Everything is in relationship.”
See Lydia’s work at lydiaruyle.com
Ayyyhyt by Max Dashu
Max says of this goddess: Siberians revered a white-maned Old Woman who was also a Mare. Ayyyhyt sits by the Tree of Life at the crest of the central world mountain. An endless stream of foamy moisture flows from the Tree to the holy Earth, forming a lake of pure milk. All-knowing, Ayyyhyt inscribes the fate of all beings on its leaves. This “gentle Creatrix” causes women to conceive, protects them in childbirth, and provides newborns with lifeforce and “a ceaseless breathing.” The Yakut called her Ayyyhyt or Ayisyt, Birth-Giving Nourishing Mother. The Altai Turks knew her as Milk Lake Mother, the giver of all life.
See Max’s work at MaxDashu.com
Scythian Goddess by Mary B. Kelly
Goddesses from Scythia, along the Black Sea coast, were often shown with the wings and tail of a bird. As such, they may have been the origin of the Sirin figures. In some cases they were used as standards carried at the head of armies in battle, and thus related to the ‘winged victories’ found later in Greece.
The image is taken from a gold pendant in the Scythian gold collection at the Kiev Pechersky Lavra in Kiev, Ukraine. Fourth century BCE. It is pictured in Ganina.
See Mary’s work at marykellystudio
Sophia, Divine Wisdom by Mary Plaster
Mary Plaster, MA, DMin, has been creating and teaching across various genres and venues of studio and theater art throughout her career. The image of Sophia, Divine Wisdom, arises from her interest in traditional religious iconography. Mary says of this original image, “I depicted Lady Wisdom seated in the context of the entire Cosmos, beckoning us to inclusive and sustainable decision making that gently cooperates with global community.”
Mary’s other works, based on folk art from Mexico, are large papier-mâché puppets of historical and mythological figures. Mary is currently designing gods and creatures for the University of Minnesota’s musical theater spring 2011 production of The Odyssey. Learn more about her workshops and creations at maryplaster.com
Hallelujah by Merry Gant Norris
Merry Gant Norris is an artist, teacher, and creativity mentor who worked for 35 years to develop community resources for women in recovery from addiction. She says, “Hallelujah is a mandala celebrating the mother aspect of the Triple Goddess.” A painter of both goddesses and mandalas, Merry has been honored with five solo shows and in 2000 opened Merry Nova Studio as a safe place for women to explore their spirituality through art. Merry gives mandala workshops and founded GODDESS AND ANGEL, a joyful program that helps women discover their sacred wholeness.
See more of Merry’s work at goddessandangel.com.
Ancient Spirit Wisdom by Jassy Watson
Jassy Watson, who lives on the sub-tropical coast of Queensland Australia, is a Mother of four, passionate organic gardener, Visionary Artist, Teacher, Intentional Creativity Coach and a student of Ancient History and Religion at Macquarie University, Sydney. She is the Creatress of Goddesses Garden, Studio & Gallery; a school for the Sacred Creative Arts, where she teaches regular painting workshops based around themes that explore the feminine. Jassy is passionate about helping women awaken to their creative potential and building community through creativity.
Ancient Spirit Wisdom “ represents the wisdom of our ancestors passed on through story, image, sculpture, word, song, dance, ritual, prayer and ceremony. She is a reminder that my stories are also the stories shared by women everywhere, from past to present.”
Butterfly Goddess & Praying Mantis, by Louie Laskowski
Louie is a long-time artist and art educator who lives in central Indiana. This painting is one of a series called “Under the Wall Paper” that has many patterns in the work to mimic wallpaper patterns in vintage books. Louie says, “As an owner of an 1800’s home, I know about peeling layers of wallpaper—There is a sense of time, style, and culture in these layers. I reflect upon the women who came before me. I imagined, ‘What would a butterfly goddess look like?’ and chose a Black Madonna. The praying mantises in my gardens love cabbage butterflies so I painted the critter, honoring its life source as well. The colors and textures are due to the influences of Mexican culture on my “white-male university-art-training” aesthetics.”
More Member resources found through The Arts page.
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This is All so very beautiful! Thank you.
In Mother’s Love,
Janine Canan
will there be an art exhibition at the conference in S.F. I would be interested in being involved – I curate and teach for CIIS in the MFA programe and Women’s Spirituality – Tricia Grame, Ph.D.
This is a wonderful venue where images created by visual artist give us an image from where we can see and feel the sensibilities, and attributes of the feminine in all it’s glorious forms. As a Jungian analyst and sculptor, I have a great appreciation for art as a creative process that cultivates a conscious relationship with the inner feminine deity.
Congratulations!
Maria Taveras, Jungian analyst/sculptor
Hi Maria,
Thank you so much–that’s exactly what we hope we are doing. As an artist also, I have always thought the separation of visual arts from “scholarship” is detrimental to both. ASWM has the goal of mixing arts and academics, and if you check our schedule for the upcoming symposia, you’ll see artists intermixed with scholars in other fields. The dialogue among them is always enlightening!
I am very interested in this area myself, I studied for 6 years plus with Dr Jane Ely , an exceptional
teacher on culture of the Native American Indian. completed her peacemaking studies in 2005 and am a minister in peace making. my project was starting a Woman’s Circle and using art to process was one of the rituals I used to take teaching into the body and mind and soul. Touching the Soul through Art is a future goal of mine . I have worked in many art media’s.
My friend introduced me to this conference and organization. And coincidental I studied many years at Kirkridge with Dr. Ely.I am going to seach the websites of the artist featured here. I am inspired to attend your conference.
thsi seems tro be Goddess inspired.
Hi Colleen,
Thank you for your kind words! And thank you on behalf of the artist-members who share their work in our Gallery. We hope to be able to showcase visual and performing arts alongside written works, both at the conference and on line. One event at the conference will be a panel for visual artists to show images of their work and discuss their mythic inspirations.