| From Michael Babcock: Susan’s titles often give us an insight as to how she viewed a painting. For both the ancient Greeks and the Egyptians the Evening Star was one of the names for the planet Venus, one of the most widely referenced deities of Greco-Roman mythology. The goddess Venus was closely associated with love and womanhood, fertility, prosperity and victory.
Susan had several methods for painting goddesses. In some instances, she’d set out with a definite idea in mind or as she recounts “the inspiration can start with a story, a picture and lead me into an image that I would then connect with, or would be a good subject to evolve.” Thus a picture begun with an idea or a singular image, (perhaps in this instance, the image of a woman holding a star), could become a goddess, possibly found in the collective unconscious talked about by Carl Jung. Susan’s methods produced goddess figures that matched closely to actual historical goddesses she may never have consciously known.
This image brings to mind the goddess Ninsi’anna, the Sumerian deity of the planet Venus, an aspect of the goddess Inanna /Ishtar; her name means ‘divine lady, illumination of heaven’ and one of her titles was “‘holy torch who fills the heavens.” The radiant rays coming from the sun recalls that the planet Venus was also called the morning star.
TPG: After Venus’ orbit brings it out from behind the sun, and it moves closest to earth on her orbit, Venus appears at dusk as the evening star. This evening star phase is referred to as the Ascent, a time for reclaiming healing in relationships. The four-pointed star often embodies the idea of spiritual revelation in each of us. Just as the light shines in the darkness, the star is a symbol of truth, hope, and spirit.
Heavily published: 2002, 2006, 2015, 2020 Goddess Calendar, 2003 Engagement Calendar Cover, 2008 Engagement Calendar.
This original work has been re-framed with an antiqued silvered, custom wood frame. Archival double-matted with linen under mat and linen top mat. Acid-free materials throughout and re-glazed with Conservation Clear, Tru-Vue, UV protective glass. Signed by Susan Seddon Boulet, bottom-right. Dated May 79.
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