yasmine hernandez & gaining one's definition

i was looking for images of Ifá Goddesses: particularly Oya, Yemaya, & Oshun. Just for myself. I think it's important to be able to conceptualize of God as myself. Thankfully at my church, I have been learning more about African spiritualities and feel greater encouragement to see myself in & as a manifestation of God.



I am totally buying this print when I move.    I love the fullness of womanhood represented her by the shape of the woman, & by yemaya's & oshun's joined hands.

http://www.yasminhernandez.com/yemayayochun.htm

a 13" x 19" is only $40!!!  Are you kidding!!???



This is a painting of Oya...certainly is beautiful.


These images were painted by Yasmine Hernandez, a Puerto Rican artist from New York.  Her work is spiritual, political, cultural, afro-affirming, and beautiful.

Her picture, and an excerpt from her "Artist's Statement" are below:

ARTIST STATEMENT Photo: Ivan Gartner 2009

Quests for personal, spiritual and political liberation inform the content of my work. Exploring alternative surfaces, patterns and fabrics as political signifiers, I paint the clandestine histories of marginalized communities. Each figure—whether a freedom fighter, a spiritual deity, or my mom—is disenfranchised and battles to rise above. I portray them as the warriors and sacred beings that they are. My palette often references the pantheon of Yoruba deities prevalent throughout the African Diaspora, where each is associated with a force of nature and its corresponding color. For example, Yemaya is the blue ocean and Shango is red fire. I turn to my own family’s spiritual and cultural ancestry for aesthetic principles that compliment the socio-political content of my work.

Just thought I'd throw in this Common Joint...Gaining One's Definition is what it's all about...




Favorite line:  Understanding and wisdom became the rhythm that I played to 
And became a slave to master self 


,You can find out more about Yemaya, Ochun, Oya & all the other Orishas here.