original art Archives - ROXANNA BIKADOROFF

Portrait of Mercurius

Hail Hermes-Mercurius, fleet-footed genius of artisans, astrologers, writers, Tarot, theatre, magic, alchemy, thieves, commerce, crossroads and every communication, connection or interaction made between one entity and another! Ruler of the zodiac signs Gemini and Virgo (who has been known to wave a magic wand).

This new icon was completed during Mercury’s transit of Pisces, Virgo’s polarity, while the Lunar Nodes are in Virgo/Pisces. I mean, how Virgo-Pisces is obsessively hand-sewing Mercury with opalescent, shiny objects that resemble fish scales or bird feathers?

Caduceus [Will’s Cigarettes card, NYPL digital]

Opposing snakes frame his winged head (so full of thoughts and messages), as if his caduceus has magically come to life. Always in the middle, the etherial trickster glows with solar gold and lunar silver. The border is a design based on DNA ‘serpents’ and Argus eyes.

The original piece was a light, acrylic painting on canvas. I’d decorated it partially with sequins (eyes and background, and the four corner symbols). At one point, I removed the sequins and attempted to embroider on top, but it wasn’t right. All the visible needle holes in the painted surface meant it would have to be covered. I put it away for several years, but decided to tackle it again last Winter.

I’d purchased this beautiful trim in San Francisco, when I lived there and made my own belly dance costumes, years ago. It reminded me of Ancient Greek designs. I didn’t want to cover it, but after the middle part was finished, it didn’t match. So as a compromise, I left a bit of space for it to show through and provide another layer from behind the ‘Argus Eyes’.

corner details (winged helmet and Mercury symbol)

My earlier sequinned tapestries are inspired largely by Haitian ‘drapo’, but this smaller piece was also influenced by painterly, Roman mosaics. It does feel like I’m ‘painting’ with sequins, sometimes applying two or three on top of each other and choosing opalescent or metallic beads to achieve the right luminosity and gradation. Mercurius reflects differently, depending on light and angle. Sunlight can give him a pinkish hue.

silver eye detail

size: approximately 11 x 13 inches, excluding chain.
materials: sequins, glass seed beads, canvas, satin, satin ribbon, thread, wood dowel, acrylic paint, metal chain.
Not for sale. Decided I need to have him near!

This piece is also posted on my Beaded Icons page in the ART menu.

©Copyright Roxanna Bikadoroff. Please share via LINK only, no lifting pics or written content without permission. Thanks!

Red White n Bluebeard (acrylic mediums and oil pastel on wood) **SOLD**

Red White n Bluebeard is a painting created during the first presidential campaign of Teflon Don of the Wild Rumpus. It is based on the folk story of Bluebeard, a cautionary tale for wives who dare to disobey their husbands, from the days when women were considered little more than property. Sadly, this is still the case in many countries, daughters are basically sold off to the highest bidder. Imagine the fear, not knowing what awaits, whether your new husband, often a complete stranger, will be kind or a demon. (It’s how new pets feel, too).

Bluebeard is a magician of sorts, he gives his new bride a set of keys, upon leaving for a voyage, telling her open any door except one. Of course curiosity gets the better of her, and she discovers hanging in the forbidden room are the bloody corpses of his 6 previous wives. And the enchanted key is now permanently bloodstained. Innocence forever lost, forbidden knowledge akin to death. Fortunately her brothers end up arriving just in the nick of time to kill Bluebeard before he can make her number 7.

Red White n Bluebeard (different light/with frame) **SOLD**

Acrylic mediums and oil pastel on wood, set in an authentic, hand cut, antique folk wooden frame all the way from 1930s Poland. SIZE: about 15 x 20 inches.

With frame, colours in natural lighting…

The painting is not a portrait of the (soon to once again be) president, but rather a personification or allegory of the rage and racism that had begun rearing it’s ugly head in the US – permissible and encouraged – during his rise to power. The figure wears a mask that has become melded with his face. He both hates and fears the screaming people caught in his red white n blue beard. Inspiration was drawn from the contorted victims in Picasso’s Guernica, to illustrate those without rights or power, caught in the hairy flames and begging for mercy.

Recently, Rumpus has made ‘jokes’ about Canada entering into an arranged marriage, shall we say, with the US, which I won’t repeat here. Many have noted his characteristic, tactical trolling, bullying, belittling. But it is also a form of hexing. Rumps is a magician skilled in word sorcery (Gemini Sun/Uranus). He well understands that all that is required is for a thorny little seed or egg to be planted in the collective mind, hypnotically repeated as a command to the subconscious, and it will grow there like a parasite until it bears ugly fruit. Rather like that frienemy who casually insinuates your spouse might be cheating. (How interesting his new health minister literally had a brain worm). This is how subliminal advertising has always worked, and he is a walking advertisement, set to (once again) head TV Nation. Don’t buy it, Canada. You know what’s behind that door.

All content except BEK cartoon is ©copyright Roxanna Bikadoroff and may not be reused without my permission. Please share via LINK or if using a pull quote, please credit and link. Thank you.

Tag: original art

Mercurius, God of the Agora – a portrait in sequins

‘Red White n Bluebeard’ – an Icon of Tyranny