Martha Sanchez as Frida Kahlo

Remember when Selma Hyack played Frida Kahlo? I've only watched that movie about a dozen times!
If you love Frida then get this movie! The imagery is fantabuloso.


One of my favorite female artists is Frida Kahlo and one of my favorite female artist friends is Martha Sanchez in Costa Rica. (See my sidebar for her web-site) I promised to paint Martha as Frida and true to my word here is the painting – Martha Sanchez as Frida Kalho.

The imagery that Kahlo developed such as the monkey which are ancient symbols of lust, the lush vegetation are symbols of fertility, her elaborately coiffed hair and exaggerated facial hair is part of her projection of female forwardness. I make use of archetypes and symbols from the cultural and mystical history that connects all humans and all life. Some of my work involves appropriation of the art of earlier artists; such as ,Frida Kahlo, Botticelli, Modigliani, Michelangelo, Van Gough, Other work involves imagery of Western and Eastern female traditions. My belief is if you are going to gain inspiration from other artists it should be from our masters.

This is the first painting in a series of modern icons painted in the Greek style of the Fayum portraits with encaustic beeswax. Just like the ancient Greeks I paint with a limited palette and specialized tools. My current obsession is with icon and Greek portraiture (see Fayum paintings). I have many modernized versions planned for the long winters night. I will post them as they are finished, please do check back with me occasionally for the newest paintings what’s happening in my life. I promise to do better in the future with my postings.