Nikki Vasquez

My fondest memories of my childhood are one surrounded by incense, song lifting my spirit, and the sacred taste of wine on my lips. We are told that the older we get, the more the magic of the world is supposed to fade. I reject that belief, for turning away from that innate magic means I must also turn my back on the quiet, divine, loving energies that enfolded me when I was in need. This series is a testament to my connection to those divine energies, to the guiding light that is always there, whether I can sense it or not. It is a merging of the innocent faith of my childhood and the woman I seek to become. Aesthetically, I am drawn to the mythological paintings of the Pre-Raphaelites, as if they call out to me from pages of childhood books I remember only in dreams. To capture this mythical, dream-like feeling, I paint using watercolor techniques with acrylic ink. I also utilize gold leaf to represent the higher plane of the spirit, harkening back to medieval Christian iconography.