Venus Dreaming of Beyond

This picture is multi-layered – ultimately based on joy. I included the Rokeby Venus as it is one of my favorite paintings, I sometimes visit the National Gallery and only look at that painting. She lies gazing at herself in the mirror; here as you look at her you see fragments of yourself – just as you see only fragments of yourself when you look in the mirror. I stitched the tiny mirrors from an Indian skirt into place with silver thread. She is daydreaming, thinking of pleasure in all its forms. When we dream we go beyond ourselves and create a vision of the life we want to step into, allowing these dreams to come and go and detaching ourselves from the outcomes frees us to live in happiness.
In the corner joy takes flight on the wings of a flying pig.

He who binds to himself a joy

Does the winged life destroy;

But he who kisses the joy as it flies

Lives in eternity’s sun rise.

William Blake (1757 – 1827)