After painting the standing, symmetrical figures of Kore and the Green Man, I was drawn to making an active, dancing female figure--Shakti, the embodiment of divine female energy, cosmic energy, animating Soul. As I worked I was aware of alternations of light and dark in her face and limbs which suggested the theme of “holding the opposites.”

I wanted there to be an element of change or transformation here and finally decided on the attachment that can cover her eyes (with beaded tears hanging down), or be removed to open her eyes. I also cut out and painted disks of heavy canvas (a lotus, a pomegranate, a skull, fire, etc.) which can be attached to the canvas with tiny magnets and moved around to different locations forming new relationships.

So there is an interactive element here, as in Hiding in the Landscape and Moving in the Landscapes of my Dreams.