Ma - Divine Mother - An Intuitive Watercolor Painting of Mother Mary

Hi everybody,

Today, I would like to talk about the depiction of the Madonna in my intuitive artwork. The Virgin Mary is a figure most dear to me and her appearance was first interpreted as such in a painting that I started a couple of years ago. This work is still a WIP (work in progress). When it was time to move out of our home in Belgium I had to stop working on her. She was carefully wrapped and shipped with our household goods to the USA. As I travelled back and forth between Belgium and the USA for the past year I didn’t have a chance to unwrap her and finish her. In my philosophy everything will come together when the time is ripe. I will show you a sneak peak of this WIP. Today I would like to talk about an intuitive painting that I started fresh during one of my visits to Belgium. The work was completed with watercolours, gouache, coloured pencil and gel pen. This makes it a mixed media piece. 

Mother Mary's Heart (Detail: Eye, WIP), Watercolours and Gel Pen on Paper, 48cmx36cm, Intuitive Painting

Also here the Madonna came forth. I will tell you how she took shape and why I interpreted her as such. It was a beautiful day and I took my watercolor paints and a watercolor paper pad outside. I just wanted to relax and do some intuitive painting. At first the big portal shape appeared and it stopped there. I made a series of portals before, passages to other worlds, beautiful and full of dreams. I thought this painting would eventually be an addition to this gallery. This just started work laid around for a few days. This is not unusual. An intuitive work can range from immediate completion to taking years to develop, sometimes even after being stored, or even forgotten and rediscovered. All of a sudden I saw the portal in my mind’s eye with beautiful and gentle eyes in the middle. I went back to it and painted in the eyes when the following words came to me: Hail Mary, chapel, Divine Mother and Holy Heart. I kept painting and under here you can see the result: the piece Mother Mary. So now let’s try to make sense to what appeared. 

Mother Mary's Heart (Detail: Hail Mary, WIP), Watercolours and Gel Pen on Paper, 48cmx36cm, Intuitive Painting

The more I worked on the figure in the centre the more I became convinced that she was representing the Madonna. The white dove on her forehead can be recognised as the Holy Spirit and the cross on her heart as Jesus appearing as the Holy Heart. The rounded portal shape reminds me of the many chapels here in Flanders dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The colour gold symbolises the purest and most sacred energy. The image also makes me think of the Byzantine icons that I have always found so beautiful. And then there was the urge to include the Hail Mary in my mother tongue being Dutch. I wrote the prayer around the figure. It is the first time that I am including script in this way. I believe I was inspired by one of my favourite artists, Shiloh Sophia McCloud. Shiloh is specialised in painting Mother Mary and Mary Magdalene and I'm a big admirer of her work.

Mother Mary (Detail: Holy Spirit), Watercolours and Mixed Media on Paper, 42cmx28cm, Intuitive Painting

The completion of this piece sent me a strong personal message. I was raised Catholic here in Belgium and for me that has been a feel good experience and a wonderful childhood memory. I always had a deep and sincere reverence for the Madonna. However while growing up I explored the belief systems of many ancient and contemporary cultures and I found wisdom and elements I could connect with in all of them. While exploring all these different walks of life I encountered many possibilities for communicating with the Universe. Over time I developed a more universal understanding of the concept of the divine. Finally I didn’t think of myself as only Christian anymore, nor was I ready to commit to anything else. I got conflicted and felt disconnected from the divine. 

Mother Mary (Detail: Holy Heart), Watercolours and Mixed Media on Paper, 42cmx28cm, Intuitive Painting

To me the appearance of the Virgin Mary in these two intuitive paintings sent me a strong message. I realised that it's ok to reconnect with my roots while also allowing myself to explore, to seek, to wonder and it's ok to be just the way I am. Then the conflict was lifted and I didn't feel alone anymore. My way of meditating now are praying the Lord's Prayer and the Hail Mary, like I learned when I was a child, slowing down and paying attention to the moment while spending time in nature and of course making intuitive art. Because of my philosophy it is no wonder that you will find light-beings from many different origins in my art. However I perceive them all as messengers of love, joy, peace, hope and compassion.

Mother Mary, Watercolours and Mixed Media on Paper, 42cmx28cm, Intuitive Painting

If you would like to see more Christian symbolism in my intuitive artwork you can read the article Christmas in Intuitive Art. If you are interested in Christian mysticism, I touch on this topic in the blog post Traveling to Avalon in Glastonbury. Enjoy!

Please share your thoughts. I would love to hear from you!

Love,

Rika