I first met Doña Maria Apasa Machaca in Ojai, CA, and a second time near Mount Shasta. It took two translators to speak with her: Quechua to Spanish, Spanish to English. The wisdom of her people, the Q'ero: the last living lineage of the Incas, is ready to be brought out of safe keeping and into the ears and hearts of those open. Consciousness is rising and ripe for wisdom to be collectively received, integrated, and lived. Doña Maria was and is journeying far to fulfill such vision and prophecy. As an initiation into her high role amongst her people, she was struck by lightning twice, and thus bestowed within her is the unbound connection to the intelligence that permeates and radiates our natural world, our real world. At the time, I am told she stood in her power amongst the male-lineage keepers to reclaim the right and wisdom of a woman to advance and embody the infinite teachings of their mystical lineage. A first feminist, if you will. In her 4 foot tall presence, I have a perma-grin, a constant heart flutter, and an awakening and aligning of deeper truths within my being of what it means to truly be human upon, amongst, and within this Earth world. 

It is my hope, intention, and utter delight that you feel her powerful, mothering, sweet, and infinite presence through her as I've captured on canvas. And, I also hope it sparks curious threads to follow into the mystery of her people and their healing, harmonic ways in the high Andean mountains. I have portraited Doña Maria as way to honor her and the wisdom of her profound people, with the full sale of the original to be returned to them as aid in the continuation of their wisdom lineage and powerful presence on Earth.

Original work $50,000 

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UPDATE 9/1/22: I travelled to Peru to record her wisdom, and she was very ill during our planned time together, and so creative pivots are underway.

She is all well now, an incredible sight to behold at 98!

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P O R T R A I T   M A K I N G   P R O C E S S:

I had courted the knowing that I'd paint Doña Maria for many years, a slow and tender relationship with her, her people, and the possibility of opening pockets of awareness here in the North, about the particular power of her ancestry, and the inclusivity it brings to revering our Earth. It was an ongoing mystical experience for me to stare into her eyes everyday with such curiosity and receptivity, receiving her formidable unconditional love. It was a complimentary study of her peoples and history with each line in her face, curve of her features. Most of me is still allowing the words to arise into form after such an experience, and especially after recently going to her homeland in Peru. When the words come, they'll find a home here.