THE LIVES OF ÉTAÍN
This piece depicts the themes and symbols around the character of Étaín from Tochmarc Étaíne and her various transformations throughout the tale. The two faces depict Étaín's two incarnations a thousand years apart, flanked by suns and moons to represent that "all time is made up of days and nights." The swan and fly represent Étaín's two animal forms, while the cup and pitcher represent the cup of the wife of Étar, and Étaín's skill at serving drink, by which Eochaid seeks to recognize her. Finally, the vegetation and swirling billows on the outside of the frame symbolize the "fragrant and wonderous herbs" of Aengus's crystal sun-bower, and Fuamnach's magical winds. This was my submission to the late Ralph Kenna's EÍRÍ art project through the Irish Post in 2022, based on the prompt of Evoking Ireland's Resiliant Female Icons. The Wooing of Étaín is one of my favorite Irish myths, and I've always wanted to take a crack at representing some of the themes of the story. Hello everyone, it's been quite a while! I've been on a bit of an impromptu hiatus due to general life stuff and a bit of artistic burnout in the last year or so, but I've got a few works in progress that I'm hoping will help get me back into the swing of things!
