Santa Cecilia is the patron saint of poets and musicians. This retablo evolved before I did any research on her at all. I had bought this wonderful oil painting in Peru and just let my mind go in building a retablo for her. I had no idea who she was–thought she was just another madonna. When I had finished, an artist friend, Eduardo Xilonsochitl, was at my house painting and building a sculpture for me by the pool and he saw her and said, “Ah, Santa Cecilia.” I then Googled Saint Cecilia and discovered that all of the symbolism of the retablo did in fact tell the story of her life. Some things just want to belong together and so it was with her portrait .
16″ X 16: Santa Cecilia: Mixed Media Retablo, Wood, Metal, paper, dried flowers and leaves, Gold Leaf, Feather, Bone, Abelone, Antique Toy Rocking Chair, Oil Painting on Canvas, Acrylic paint. 16″ X 16. Click on picture to see details.
lifelessons - a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown 