Terra Maria
2020
Watercolor pigment on Arches
This miniature series was commissioned for an Advent Series in collaboration with Vita Poetica. During the height of the pandemic it was hard to see what hope looked like. We were in complete lockdown and isolation from one another. It was the dead of winter and I noticed on my daily walks how dry the earth was and how barren it felt. I also wondered when might I see signs of growth again. It was there I imagined Mary’s body to be like the earth.
I've found that the earth mimics so much of what's going on in our lives. There is so much life in the soil. When a seed is planted in fertile soil, it flourishes and produces amazing fruit for many to enjoy. I've come to realize that Mary, the mother of Jesus was fertile soil for our God to grow and do amazing things in her. It's led me to contemplate her process of growth.
DARKNESS: What type of environment was Mary in right before this immaculate conception happened?
EMBODIMENT: What did it feel like to have the power of God overshadow her?
VOICE: What sort of feelings did she have when she encountered the angel Gabriel?
CONCEPTION: What was it like to feel the living embodiment of the future King growing inside of her?
CALL: What sort of pressures did she face carrying out her call?
LIGHT: When she finally gave birth to her Son, what were her hopes and dreams for him?