Gwenhywfar and the Cult of Isis is a watercolor painting with Arthurian Legend as its theme. Gwenhywfar is Welsh for Guinevere. The parameters for the commission were merely that the client wanted an Arthurian subject. As Arthurian legend has been done and over done, CJ struggled on not only the character, but also strived to bring a fresh approach to the subject matter. As William Morris and the Pre-Raphaelites culled the likes of Lord Mallory and Alfred Lord Tennyson for their Arthurian inspiration, CJ chose to add the work of various contemporary authors into the admixture. Of particular note are the novels of Bernard Cornwell. Mr. Cornwell has meticulously retold the romanticized and medielvalized legend of Mallory in its true historical setting of the 5th century. In Cornwell’s version, ancient Britain is rife with occupying Romans invading Saxons, roving Britannic tribes, and cults to foreign gods. In the novel, Gwenhywfar is a devotee of the Egyptian goddess Isis, the cult of whom was brought to Britain by the invading Romans. The Painting is a complex network of carefully placed images and symbols that tell Gwenhywfar’s story to its final outcome. The savvy viewer can put together the pieces of the puzzle and reveal the paintings hidden message, or the painting can be enjoyed as a rich tapestry of lush images, surfaces, and an intricate composition that offers something new upon each viewing.
Mixed Media on Paper
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