Potnia Theron, 36x48 Acrylic, collage, charcoal, fiber paste on panel. $3600
Available at RiverSea Gallery
Available at RiverSea Gallery
Potnia Theron ©Leslie Peterson Sapp
This large and colorful collage painting is based on a fresco in Akrotiri, on the ancient island of Thera, now known as Santorini. It depicts a goddess of animals, or a Potnia Theron, seated on a throne. Beside her, a griffin is seated, and she is being presented with an offering of saffron flowers by a human-like monkey.
The frescos of Akrotiri are just crumbled vestiges, and had to be reassembled like a puzzle. To emulate the effect of the fragmented frescos, I slathered fiber paste and molding paste over heavy watercolor paper. When this was dry, I drew and painted the figures, I then tore the image up, and reassembled it on a panel.
Through the fragments of "plaster", a seascape is seen, featuring a depiction of modern day Santorini. Boats and dolphins, derived from a different fresco in Akrotiri, known as The Flotilla, parade by.
The frescos of Akrotiri are just crumbled vestiges, and had to be reassembled like a puzzle. To emulate the effect of the fragmented frescos, I slathered fiber paste and molding paste over heavy watercolor paper. When this was dry, I drew and painted the figures, I then tore the image up, and reassembled it on a panel.
Through the fragments of "plaster", a seascape is seen, featuring a depiction of modern day Santorini. Boats and dolphins, derived from a different fresco in Akrotiri, known as The Flotilla, parade by.
To read more about the frescos of Akrotiri on the island of modern-day Santorini, click HERE to read my blog entry about it.