Lotus Embrace

Details of the original painting, hand-painted.

Acrylic on Canvas

92cm x 73cm x 1,5 cm

Lotus embrace brings together my love of Japonisme, Art Nouveau and symbolism. The Japanese woman looks sideways, surrounded by flowing, Art Nouveau-inspired hair, while a single large lotus flower rests at the bottom of the painting.

The mermaid tail appeared intuitively. I often paint this way, allowing elements to emerge without knowing exactly why they want to be there. Once the tail had appeared, however, I deliberately filled it with powerful symbols: spirals, Yin and Yang, fish for abundance, a heart, the Ankh and the figure eight, or infinity symbol.

For me, the painting is about transformation, balance, abundance and the continuous movement of life. The lotus, rising from the mud to flower above the water, adds another layer to that idea of transformation and becoming