The world was a cauldron of confusion and contradiction. I was surrounded by sin, suffering, evil and death. Or that’s what it felt like. I cried out in despair, “I need new gods! Where are our superheroes when we need them most?”
I waited. It felt like a very long time.
POW!
A great light flashed. Before me stood a giant figure with the body of a man and head of a coy-wolf.
“Oh my god!” I said.
“Actually, I’m a saint,” they said.
“Where did you come from?”
“You invoked me, so my fathers made me.”
“Fathers?”
“Saint Christopher, Anubis, and Coyote.” They blinked, turned, and walked purposefully away.
KA-BOOM!
A thunderous clap erupted. A second great figure appeared with the body of a woman and head of an elephant. She had kind piercing eyes.
“Hello,” I said timidly, “Who are you?”
“I am Mother Destroyer of Obstacles.”
“Did I invoke you?”
“Hmmm….maybe, but my mother Mary and my father Ganesh have been carrying on an affair for centuries. I think your invocation was just an excuse. Anyway, I’m here now and I have a lot of work to do.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Now materialized three identical women with long hair and...fur. So much fur everywhere, except, ahem. Let’s just be plain about this, they had fur everywhere except their rather GIANT vaginas. And were their vaginas GLOWING?
Suddenly I noticed that each carried a long sword and round their hips they wore skirts of severed arms.
My heart began to race.
“Why are you here?” I asked.
“We are the daughters of Kali and Mary Magdalene: Justice, Knowledge, and Love. We are each tasked to cast out seven demons from humanity," responded the first sister. "That’s a whole lot of ass-kicking," said the second sister turning to go. The third sister looked back for a moment and said, “There will be more of us.”
Egg tempera (egg yolk, white wine), earth and mineral pigments, red bole clay, 24K gold leaf on found wood construction debris, 48 x 48 inches, 2017
Egg tempera (egg yolk, white wine), earth and mineral pigments, red bole clay, 24K gold leaf on found wood construction debris, 48 x 48 inches, 2017
Egg tempera (egg yolk, white wine), earth and mineral pigments, red bole clay, 24K gold leaf on wood icon panel, 16 x 12 inches, 2016
24K gold leaf, metal leaf, acrylic ink, mixed media collage on paper, 75 X 44 inches, 2017
Acrylic ink, 24K gold leaf, metal leaf, mixed media collage on paper, 75 X 44 inches, 2017
24K gold leaf, metal leaf, acrylic ink, mixed media collage on paper, 75 X 44 inches, 2017
24K gold leaf, metal leaf, acrylic ink, mixed media collage on paper, 75 X 44 inches, 2017
Egg tempera (egg yolk, white wine), earth and mineral pigments, shell gold on found wood construction debris, 48 x 23.5 inches, 2017
Egg tempera (egg yolk, white wine), earth and mineral pigments, shell gold on found wood construction debris, 48 x 23.5 inches, 2017
Egg tempera (egg yolk, white wine), earth and mineral pigments, red bole clay, 24K gold leaf on wood icon panel, 15.75 x 11.75, inches, 2017
Egg tempera (egg yolk, white wine), earth and mineral pigments, red bole clay, 24K gold leaf on wood icon panel, 9.75 x 7.75 inches, 2016
Egg tempera (egg yolk, white wine), earth and mineral pigments, red bole clay, 24K gold leaf on wood icon panel, 16 x 12 inches, 2016
Artist Michele Pred organized and led the Parade Against Patriarchy during Miami Art Week in December 2017. Pred is pictured carrying her “Pussy Grabs Back" Feminist Riot Shield. What an honor to march with this powerful crew of women artists and activists: Alessandra Mondolfi, Ann Lewis, Bud Snow, Ventiko, Lisette Morales, Krista Suh, Michelle Hartney, Melanie Oliva, Lisette Morales, The Sacred Labyrinth, Jean Chadbourne, and Shireen Liane. Photo: Ventiko
I made this skirt inspired by the Hindu creation/destroyer goddess Kali. She wears a skirt of severed arms and wields a sword of enlightenment. I do believe it is about time to fell the long arm of Patriarchy, slay Misogyny and Racism, smite Alternative Facts and hack off any pussy-grabbing arms while we are at it!
WANT is an ongoing series about what we desire, what we wrestle with, what we hold onto and what we are willing to stand for.
What do you want?
2017, Acrylic and gold leaf on hide dog bone
2016, Acrylic and gold leaf on hide dog bone
2016, Acrylic and gold leaf on hide dog bone
2015, Acrylic on hide dog bone
2016, Acrylic on hide dog bone
2015, Acrylic on hide dog bone
2015, Acrylic on hide dog bone
2015, Acrylic on hide dog bone
2015, Acrylic on hide dog bone
Self Portrait as an 18th century Botanical Explorer Action Figure, 2014, wooden mannequin, epoxy clay, human hair, fabric, leather, acrylic paint, approximate dimensions (variable): 12.5 x 4 x 2 inches
The idea for this series began in 2011 when I lived in the Netherlands for 3 years. Ten miles outside of Amsterdam exists the world's largest flower auction. Every day over 20 million flowering plants arrive in Aalsmeer from around the planet, are sold in minutes, then are shipped back out across the globe. This dramatic example of human-plant mutualism led me to the progenitors of this modern day trade: the natural philosophers and botanical explorers during the Age of Discovery.
My research is focused on, but not limited to 18th and 19th century plant hunters (men and women) held in "thrall" by certain species of flora. Lured across oceans and to the ends of the earth, the adventures of plant collectors often ended in their rather tragic demise. I am interested in the role desire and conquest plays for not only the human characters, but also the plant actors in these stories.
2014, Acrylic over Monoprint on Paper, 77 cm x 55.5 cm
2015, Acrylic over Monoprint on Paper, 77 cm x 55.5 cm
What is Wonderarium?
WONDER + TERRARIUM = A GIANT FLOATING TERRARIUM
This site-specific proposal by artists Sarah Filley and Yvette Molina was conceived in 2009 to enchant and reinvigorate our romance for Oakland’s "urban jewel” Lake Merritt. Developed in collaboration with Architecture and Engineering Firm Ware Associates, the design includes a clear acrylic sphere (eight feet in diameter) mounted on an elegant tri-foot floatation apparatus. The sphere is designed to house a diverse selection of living plants. In the evening it will be illuminated from within by LED lighting.
The Mobile Plant Ambassador unit was developed in 2010 by artists Yvette Molina and Sarah Filley to take plants “on the road.” A visual mash-up of ice cream carts, nostalgic vending stands, and Barnum and Bailey type attractions, the Mobile Plant Ambassador promotes spontaneous interaction with the novel experience of building a terrarium directly from the cart. All supplies: glass containers, pumice, soil, and a variety of plant cuttings, are arranged in the order needed to build a terrarium in four easy steps. Participants are invited to express their personal creativity through plants while learning about propagation, plant care, and micro-systems – the only fee is curiosity!
2012, Oil on 12 inch convex aluminum round
2011, Oil on 36 inch convex aluminum round
2011, Oil on 36 inch convex aluminum round
2011, Oil on 7 inch convex aluminum round
2011, Oil on 10 inch convex aluminum round
2009, Oil on 7 inch convex aluminum round
2009, Oil on 10 inch convex aluminum round
2009, Oil on 7 inch convex aluminum round
2010, Oil on 10 inch convex aluminum round
2008, Oil on 7 inch convex aluminum round
Oil on 36 inch concave aluminum round
2009, Oil on 7 inch convex aluminum round
2008, Oil on 7 inch convex aluminum round
2009, Oil on 7 inch convex aluminum round
2011, Graphite on aluminum, 7 x 7 inches
2011, Graphite on aluminum, 7 x 7 inches
2010, Graphite on aluminum, 7 x 7 inches
2010, Graphite on aluminum, 7 x 7 inches
2009, Graphite on aluminum, 7 x 7 inches
2009, Graphite on aluminum, 7 x 7 inches
2008, Graphite on aluminum, 7 x 7 inches
2009, Graphite on aluminum, 7 x 7 inches
2009, Graphite on aluminum, 7 x 7 inches
2008, Graphite on aluminum, 7 x 7 inches
2008, Graphite on aluminum, 7 x 7 inches
2008, Graphite on aluminum, 7 x 7 inches