Yulian, Guardian Angel

Yulian, Ángel de la Guarda por Tanya Torres

Yulian, Guardian Angel by Tanya Torres, Oil on canvas, 20" x 16", 2012.

Some of my friends already know that back in November, I began writing for About.com, a company of The New York Times, for their new site in Spanish. I am always writing, so I decided to write more formally, but the only topic that interested me was Ángeles y milagros, angels and miracles. I don't have any formal education in these themes, but I had studied so much while painting Mary Magdalene, that I decided to try and apply. The angels liked me, which means I am now a guide and write at 2 a.m. about inspiring topics that I hope will bring smiles, hope and knowledge to whoever reads my articles. So far so good. It is inspiring and it informs my art. Especially when I practice what I preach...
I was writing about "El Ángel de la Guarda" or Guardian Angel when
I remembered that I had not actually met mine. I had tried, but not persevered at it. The truth is I am not a seer. I don't see auras or angels or spirits. But as a child (confession, confession...) I used to do a certain ritual to make my fifth grade teacher be absent, and it worked 90% of the time, so I guess you could say I am a little witchy! (My poor teacher, I'm so sorry...)
So in order to try out the strategies I was tempted to write about, I first tried to meet my guardian angel. I had just erased a line in the article I was writing: if you want to meet your Guardian Angel, do it through your passion. If you write, write him a letter, if you paint, paint him..., when I started to draw my angel.

It was not really a decision, but an impulse to start drawing. Soon, I heard a name in my mind: Yulian.
It is funny because my son's name is Julián. Yulian, as it is pronounced in English, was not what I expected. But it made sense. My mind and I have a lot to work on when it comes to believing certain things. I paint pictures, but I never expect them to be "real." They are imaginary constructions of a perceived reality, like a dream, or a symbol. So I had to laugh at myself for being so literal when it came to my angel's name. It was like my angel was laughing back at me with the joke of giving me the only name I might accept for my angel.

I have painted angels since Angelo Romano inspired me to do it and participate in his group shows. But this angel is my favorite, because it is called Yulian and is my Guardian Angel! The world of the Imagination is endless, and in it you can call forth all your wishes and truths.

Reproductions and Greeting Cards available in my Etsy Shops: 
http://www.etsy.com/shop/tanyaetorres
http://www.etsy.com/shop/YellowButterflyShop