Saint Martin de Porres ACEO

ACEO, 2.5 x 3.5 inches, watercolor and gouache, 2008.

Born in 1579 in Lima, Peru, the illegitimate son of a Spanish noble and a black former slave, Saint Martin de Porres is known for the work he did for the poor and sick during his life. He is the patron Saint of many things, incuding people of mixed race, Peru and public health. He is usually shown with a broom to symbolise that he saw no job as beneath him and the austerity of his life. He died in 1639 and was canonised in 1962.

Did somebody say crow?

Here is a commission piece that was requested after I had auctioned and sold an ACEO version. This is OSWOA® or 4x6 inches watercolor on paper. The original piece was my response to the sudden explosion of interest in crow and raven art on Ebay. I pondered many explanations since it was intriguing that it happened around the holidays late 2007. One of my speculations was maybe it was a religious symbol. I will probably never know, but i found myself painting a raven or crow whispering the sun's secret to this bronze Buddha.

Erika Nelson