THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES: DESCENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Oil on cradled canvas
6’ x 4.5’
February - March 2024, November 22 - December 1, 2024

While Mary and the disciples pray in private, the Holy Spirit descends on them in tongues of fire, signifying fervent faith and divine inspiration. In this painting, laser-like beams in the formation of the ancient, Jewish, Qabbalistic Tree of Life take the place of the tongues of fire. There is also an indirect allusion to Mary as the Egyptian goddess Isis, as suggested by the embroidery of bird's wing feathers on her bodice.

Like Job Dreams of Heaven which was completed before it, this was a post-pandemic painting, though I opted to work with readily available models for the tableau.

My granddaughter Aubrey sat for Mary, as she did for The Glorious Mysteries: The Assumption of Mary. The couple above are the cafe's M. and his wife, Rose. The couple below them are Karen Cusi-Vergamora, a former student, and Ian Lomongo, also a former student and a stage actor; they happened to be visiting for a Bilbo Baggins afternoon, and I asked them if I could photograph them for the painting. The rest of the characters were modeled by M.'s cafe's crew members (Reza and David), while Neil, now my full-time caregiver and house manager,  sat for the young man Below, Center.

The auditory stimulus I used is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GwjfUFyY6M. Do listen to it while viewing the painting.

Will make an effort to paint The Glorious Mysteries: The Crowning of Mary before installing Job, Descent, and Crowning at Maryhill School of Theology.