about me
It was an amazing image that caught my eyes as the Goddess spit her ghastly tongue at me, eyes all knowing, with human heads adorned about her figure. I longed to be all knowing, and a Goddess, such as her, and thus, I decided to perpetuate the idea and create human heads of my own. This strong desire of mine to immortalize my adoration of this wondrous deity, although beginning with a singular project, has made it's invasion apparent throughout all of my most recent work.
I began, about 2 years ago, fully pursuing Tibetan Buddhist Goddesses and art as my main inspiration and drawing point for the majority of my work. Using my close female friends, and myself, as models in replacement of these ancient deities in paintings, I began exploring the relationship of my modern western life in comparison to this amazing ancient culture. I also have become fond of doing landscapes and drawing from nature so I have been combining these aspects as much as possible. Portraits, landscapes, intricate patterns and intense use of colors are trademarks of mine, as they are also my strengths.
My paintings, drawings, and even sketches are more often than not focused around a center, whether it is simply an area of space or a space occupied by a being. This is a common element found in mandalas throughout all Eastern cultures, not limited to Tibet. They are quite stunningly beautiful images that are meant to portray the Universe and cycles, or patterns, within it and connect ourselves to the whole that we exist in. The patterns that I create started out as simple doodles when I was younger, probably an inspiration from my mother Nancy Odom who is also an artist (quilter and fabric designer) and grew into more complex beings on their own. I've constantly wondered what they mean to me, or what they have evolved to mean in my work. I use them as a visual bridge of the state of all things surrounding us, or our reality, and our mind and spirit, personal reality, or perceived awareness. They are a form that is consistent throughout my work as a personal archetype, portrayal and representation of energy.
I believe that there is energy flowing through all existing things, connecting us, just as there are patterns, or seemingly coincidences, synapses of moments, bridges of realities and of truths. Patterns, according to me, are the carriers and beholders of energy. I often channel this effervescence by focusing patterns, as the representation, to certain areas of space within the compositions of my paintings and drawings. I consider my work to be quite tantric, when speaking in Eastern terms. Tantric belief, contrary to popular Western thought, is not focused simply on sexual matters, but is a mystical sect of Buddhism based on attempting to become one with the world through the self, "involving mantras, meditation, yoga and ritual" (Webster Dictionary). In this instance, I am attempting to become one with the world through myself, through yoga, through music, through my life, through my art.
Female and male, yin and yang, bright and dark, destruction and creation, the self and the universe are all contrasting, yet complementary, elements that I have embraced within my work to come about some sort of balance, not only by working through these myself, but also as a means for the viewers to be able to as well, as a compositional quality that may guide them in this direction. Through struggles with life and truth, my father had consistently pleaded with me to strike a balance, whatever it may be, and this advice has not limited itself to my life, but I have allowed it to perpetuate into my art.
His conditions for this balance included, of course, that every pursuit I make should be a knowledgeable one, it must be wise, and in order to become something and not the other, or accept something and not the other, I should first consider every aspect of both. Such as the Buddha said, "Do not accept any of my words of faith, believing them just because I said them. Be like an analyst burying gold, who cuts, burns, and critically examines his product for authenticity. Only accept what passes the test and proves useful and beneficial in your life". I know this thought has been noted in Christianity and other religions as well.
By applying my energy, perpetually, to my self and my work, I do believe that I will achieve in extending positive energy beyond myself into others and the atmosphere around me. I will become one with the world through myself. I will become a Goddess, greater than I already am.All of this has been a prerequisite to the work that I am exploring and creating now. The move to Los Angeles had a great deal to do with this new turning point, as well. I am sticking with this main idea, but have evolved it into not simply a juxtaposition between modern Western women and ancient Eastern female deities, but also a play on these cultures. A satire of modern pop culture, if you will. The first piece, which is nearing completion, is my biggest painting yet, 7' by 4', and is featuring Betty White as a replacement for the Goddess of Wrath. I am basing each painting on a specific ancient one and replacing and tweeking and taking and adding subject matter as is relevant to the new subject and as I please. It is a great new series and I can't wait to display it all! Betty White's will be first publicly shown on August 27th at the Diamonds Not Fur Gala, honoring Betty White. More details and links (to buy tickets, etc) will be added soon.