no woman is an island

I don’t remember exactly (maybe 10 plus years ago?) when I showed the painting below at Estrella Mountain Community College. But I remember Cheryl.

The World Stage, a play in finite acts, 2004

Cheryl, who was a nursing student at the time, contacted me to ask about the painting. We went back and forth via email. She wrote to me about looking at it daily. Eventually she inquired about the price.

Fast forward to July 2019:

Hello, can you tell me If you have any upcoming exhibits in the Phoenix area? Do you have a studio that I can purchase prints from? I love the items from World Stage.  Thank you,  Cheryl A

Cheryl graduated and became a nurse. Eventually her children graduated from college. And recently she experienced a major loss in her life.

It was a pleasure meeting Cheryl all these years later. We spent a thoughtful afternoon together.

She will return to Estrella Mountain College in the Fall. This time she is in the role of educator. Full circle. And more new beginnings.

She now has The World Stage to look at everyday, along with a few other works.

Academia 2, Mixed media, hand colored Intaglio etching on Arches, 2008

I didn’t know what to expect when you walked into my studio yesterday Cheryl. Know that you have some of my favorite work that I’ve lived with for a good while. I wonder if you understand how I feel to know that someone thought about a painting for 10 plus years. I really had no idea the one painting was waiting for you.

Pride, the father of all the deadly sins, Casein and Egg tempera on canvas

La Persona, Mixed media, hand colored Intaglio etching on BFK paper, 2007

This morning in an email:

The Pride piece and The World Stage fit perfectly in my family room near my recliner. The colors are perfect and new for me.  I will place The World Stage over the “faux” fireplace. Looking at this piece gives me so much joy. It really is a lesson in patience. We can desire those little luxuries in life but not at the expense of our family’s needs first. It feels so good to finally “reward” myself for a job well done. It was worth the wait and has gained even more value to me.

Thank you so much Cheryl for a special afternoon. I’m really happy that you have my work in your home. I hope it continues to bring you joy. Good luck in the wholeness of your new life. I wish you all the very best.

Who Am I?, Mixed media, hand colored Intaglio etching on BFK paper, 2018

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The blog posts titled No Woman is an Island acknowledge the people and/or organizations who support me and the work I do.

©2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED BY MONICA AISSA MARTINEZ

no woman is an island – continues

Justice is
… absolute good in itself.
… the boundary that defines all the other virtues.
… Cuique suum – to each his own.
… the virtue which enables man to give each one what is his due.

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Justice
Graphite, Casein on Paper
23″ x 8″

Alisa Gray contacts me on the first day of the new year. She’s interested in this study of Justice. It’s part of a large series that depicts virtues and sins. I give her a bit of history about the drawing and identify influences.

“The balance I depict comes from Egyptian mythology.  Upon death, one must weigh their heart with the feather of truth. If the heart is lighter you move on in the journey to the afterlife. If the heart is heavier, you are escorted into the underworld.”

Traditional Lady Justice is blind-folded, representing objectivity. In my composition, the eyes are not prominent. I include the infinity symbol. Summun Bonum, the writing on the floating banner “… is Latin for the highest good.” The phrase is meaningful to me, it’s not about good or bad, right or wrong – but about the highest good for all concerned. As I write this I recall my father providing me with thought to go along with most any action – If anyone or everyone did what you want to do now, would this be a better world? If the answer is yes, continue.

Alisa tells me her daughter ” … is a self-taught 17-year-old Egyptian ‘expert’ and she’s taught me so much about Egyptian myths and culture,” (did I mention Alisa is a lawyer) and adds ” … the whole legal thing is compelling.”

“I am intrigued because I’ve never heard summum bonum. After 21 plus years as an attorney, I thought I knew most Latin terms that we use. So I looked it up. It’s more of a philosophical term meaning the “highest good.” Too bad, we don’t use it more in the legal world!”

Alisa has a personal connection to the spiral, which is in the design of the dress the figure wears. We discuss the design color – “… no situation is completely black and white.” Alisa’s last name is Gray.

“Yes, I am interested!”  And with that – Justice finds a home.

Alisa is an attorney. She is also a Yogi. She completed her Yoga Teacher’s Training in 2010, and currently teaches Yoga to attorneys. Talk about highest good …

Thanks Alisa. Keep up the good work.

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The blog posts titled No Woman is an Island acknowledge the people and/or organizations who support me and the work I do. No one continues alone, much less the artist. I enjoy and appreciate the full circle experiences.

Justice is from the series:  The World Stage, a play in finite acts.

The World Stage, a play in finite acts
casein on canvas
36″ x 36″