19” x 25” one-of-a-kind original acrylic painting, with 6 painstakingly screenprinted color separations and hand-applied metallic foil on hand-tinted paper.
Tara is a bodhisattva/goddess of compassion in Buddhism. Tara has many forms some peaceful, some wrathful, sometimes in groups of nine or 21, in a kaleidoscope of different colors and attributes. Two popular forms are white and green; in her white form she is more restful; in her green form, she is more active. In this collection, her posture with one leg seated and one leg poised to spring into action is in the traditional Green Tara iconography.
Her aureole made of hundreds of eyes references White Tara (who has eyes in her palms and soles, symbolizing her ability to see those suffering and come to their aid). The golden/metallic cracks in her aureole are inspired by the Japanese art of golden joinery (kintsugi), representing how we can repair and highlight cracks, breaks, or scars as representing resilience and strength.
