Back to my miniature book roots...

Corazón, a drawing for my new handmade miniature book, Destellos de Sofía.

El río, accompanying the poem by the same title in Destellos de Sofía.

Blue Hair

Blue Hair, Acrylic and Water-soluble crayon on canvas, 16" x 20", 2008

Poem: "Fly, Soul, Fly" from Destellos de Sofía, a new handmade book of poetry

I created this painting in 2008 from a drawing I had done about a year earlier, at night, together with the one titled "Sunflowers." Then one day, a friend called me to bring some paintings to be exhibited at the Community Board office, and I decided to paint this canvas with materials that could dry faster than oil paint, my usual medium of choice. I used acrylic paint and my other favorite material, water-soluble crayons. The result was pleasing to me, a painting that I have had hanging in my own living room until a couple weeks ago, when I brought it back up to my studio in the hope of tuning into it again for the new series that I have been calling "Sacred Garden" and "Goddesses of El Yunque."

For years, I have been wanting to get closer to my own culture through painting, but in a way that did not involve the usual symbols of nationality or a social/political perspective. I wanted a symbol that I could create within my own style and that would be sincere, universal and spiritual. So when two wonderful women somewhat and somehow identified this image with a Taíno goddess, I felt that I had found the connection between my own style, my desire to create something related to my culture and the universality I strive for in all my work.

Blue Hair then becomes the inspiration for a new series of work. I look forward to painting large canvases with one or more figures accompanied by animals and plants from the island of Puerto Rico and maybe the rest of the Greater Antilles, drawing on Taíno symbolism and my own mythology/iconography.

As I always tell my son, "Great Goddess of History, help me!" This time, I think she heard me!

Eros and Psyche

It's been years since I learned about Eros and Psyche, so long ago I can't remember why I became interested in the topic. I'm sure it had something to do with a longing for the idea that they represent, the union of love and the soul.

When we think of Eros, we mostly relate this character of Greek mythology with erotic love, and he certainly has something to do with it, but it is also significant that in the end of his story, he is not alone, but joined by Psyche, the soul. One is not complete without the other.

Just like each of our own souls when they are silenced by the logic of the mind, Psyche had lack of faith and because of that, lost her beloved. But once she realized her loss, she did all she could to win him back and had to pass immense tests of strength in order to reach him. In the end, she becomes immortal, because of love.

I began this watercolor years ago, together with others that remain unfinished and a series of canvases inspired by Indian miniatures illustrating the Kama Sutra, which I keep but never have painted. This year, I decided it is time to take Eros out of the drawers of forgetfulness, which is why I am publishing this watercolor so we can all get inspired to let our own Eros and Psyche find each other in our own heart.

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This watercolor is available as well as prints and cards of this and other images of Eros and Psyche when you visit this blog's special shop page: http://tanyatorres.blogspot.com/p/shop.html

and take a look at the image of MM and JC, do you notice? I did not realize it when I composed Surrender... but the placement of the figures is almost the same!

Sacred Garden: Her Spirit Remains (Behind the Yuca plant with Reinita and Coquí)

Yuca grows in this garden, visited by animals, guarded by the divine ancestors who inhabit the grayer shades of life within. Made of water, leaves, roots, she might be as green as the forest itself, or as blue as the evening sky. Or she might be transparent, like a veil. She is undoubtedly humid, and life grows out of her heart.

Exotic Lady: Melancholy

I think she is missing her beloved Matisse. But at least she has his blues.