"The 3 Eves," encaustic, oil, gold leaf

 

Another modern icon painted in oil and encaustic on birch panels. I have used gold leaf behind the central figure and carved through the encaustic on the bottom to reveal the silver leaf.

"The Three Eves" On the right panel, we see Lilith, who in the Hebraic tradition is said to be Adam's estranged first wife. In one story,God created her and Adam as twins, joined together at the back. Lilith demanded equality with Adam and failing to achieve it, she furiously left him. In another version of the myth of Lilith, she would not succumb to Adam's demands that she lie beneath him during sexual intercourse. Lilith would not meet this demand of male dominance, so we see her in my work as a free spirit, self assured, joyful,powerful and independent.

On the left panel we see the typical portrayal of the biblical Eve. Shy, submissive, self effacing, she is the perfect follower of the superior male.

In the center I have created my version of a more modern Eve. The expression of the feminine that has finally emerged, after more than 2000 years. She is a whole woman, complete unto herself, and the combination of the goddess Isis, superimposed over the characteristics of the Madonna. The early Christian church removed all ancient symbols of the goddess and replaced them with a softer, self- deprecating, perfect woman in the image of Mary. 

I have used astrological fire symbols as as well as the Lion, that is an embodiment of the fire element, to indicate the burning of the old feminine image and clearing the path for today's woman.