Ala - Earth Goddess (Orisha)

 
Ala is the Igbo goddess of the Earth. She is the ruler of the underworld, the protector or the harvest and goddess of fertility for animals and people. If the goddess is angered, it isn’t just one person that angers her - it is all of the people. Together, they must suffer her wrath (natural disasters) until it is made right.

This mixed media painting consists of acrylic, faux plants and flowers, beads, Spanish moss, feather, starfish, metals and lava rock. I wanted to incorporate natural (but faux natural) elements from the Earth. You will also see an aerial of the Earth depicted in her chest. For my signature, I chose to use a wood piece, as to keep with the natural look of the piece. The green and yellow background is actually a nod to the ethnic background of the model.