Moira Pagan
ICON
'A representation or picture of a sacred or sanctified Christian personage, traditionally used and venerated in the Eastern Church.'
( http://www.thefreedictionary.com )
HALO
'A Halo is a ring of light that surrounds a person in art. They have been used in the iconography of many religions to indicate holy or sacred figures. ' (Wikipedia)
During my own spiritual journey I find myself
exploring something which is emphasized in
Mahayana Buddhism, that all sentient beings have Buddha Nature/ Essence.
In the ordinary, yet unique role of being a mother, a grandmother, a supportive friend or workmate, women can and do reveal the hidden gold within themselves. I hope that a range of emotions and responses might arise in the viewing of these paintings and perhaps challenge some of the limitations we put upon ourselves as women.
The everyday life of work, ironing, cleaning, reading or even having a conversation with someone can be transformed into a spiritual act when done with kindness and mindful attention.
Women as Icons
1 The Christening
Mixed Media 230mm x 450 mm , SOLD
2 Madonna
Mixed Media 230mm x 450mm, SOLD
3 The Artist, Her Daughter and
a Buddha
Mixed Media 600mm x 500mm, Price $400
4 Sellers of Gifts and Angels
Mixed Media, 610mm x 610mm, Price $550
6 Tasting the Flowers
5 Library Ladies
Mixed Media, 610mm x 610mm, Sold
7 Two Mothers and A BabyMixed Media, 710mm x 710mm SOLD
8 Alterations
10 The Baptism
11 The Healing
12 The Flower Girl
15 Anzac Nurse Helena with waterfall
13 Anzac Nurse Isabel with torpedo
Anzac Nurse Margaret
18 Coming Out
16 The Hospital Board
17 Three Friends
19 Three Girlfriends at a Christening
20 Karanga
21 Te Kanikani A Kui Ma
24 Entering The Stream
23 Reaching High
22 In the Salon
25 The Sewing Class
26 Joy
9 The Birthday Quilt
Mixed Media 914mm x 1222mm, Sold
Mixed Media, SOLD
Mixed Media 710mm x 710mm,
$750 AUD
Mixed Media 1150mm x 762mm, SOLD
Mixed Media 450mm x 560mm, Sold
Mixed Media, SOLD
Mixed Media, SOLD
Mixed Media 1140mm x 540mm, $850
Mixed Media 140mm x 200mm, $150
Mixed Media 240mm x 240mm, Sold
Mixed Media 304mm x 154mm, SOLD
Mixed Media 120mm x 120mm, SOLD
Mixed Media 154mm x 150mm, SOLD
Mixed Media 240mm x 240mm, $95 AUD
Mixed Media 153mm x 153mm,SOLD
Mixed Media 150mm x 154mm, $150
Mixed Media 712mm x 712mm,
$750 AUD
Mixed Media 1202mm x 220mm, SOLD
Mixed Media 914mm x 1222mm, SOLD
Mixed Media 1130mm x 550mm,
$650 AUD
Artist's Notes - Women as Icons
1 The Christening, Mixed Media 230mm x 450 mm , SOLD
Inspired by a small black and white photo of my brother Gordon’s Christening in 1951
My Aunt was shown looking straight at the camera but I wanted the face to be tenderly looking at
the baby so the face emerged from the canvas herself!
2 Madonna, Mixed Media 230mm x 450mm, SOLD
Inspired by a photograph of a pregnant woman whose pose and expression seemed to embrace
her unborn child with her whole being.
3 The Artist, Her Daughter and a Buddha , Mixed Media 600mm x 500mm, Price $400
My first self -portrait since Art School shows my daughter Robin putting some make- up on me
for a night out. Holly Madison was on the TV in Robin’s room sniffing a rose and the Buddha figure
of the Goddess of Compassion, appeared in the corner later.
4 Sellers of Gifts and Angels, Mixed Media, 610mm x 610mm, Price $550
Inspired by the two lovely women in The French Hen shop in town, Linda and Antoinette who
have the gift of brightening the day of anyone who walks into their shop to buy an angel. They obviously
have a great working relationship too and that lights up the room too.
5 Library Ladies , Mixed Media, 610mmx610mm, SOLD
Inspired by June and her sports- car –driving-Mum Jean who was up from the South Island,visiting
her daughter and recovering from a leg injury. They so kindly let me photograph them sharing
time together pouring over loads of books in the Whangarei library
6 Tasting the Flowers, Mixed Media 580mmx1150mm SOLD
Inspired by two great friends here Joan on the left and Mary at her 70th birthday being given a
flower to taste by her daughter Jules whose hand offers the flower. Lots of love and Friendship
symbolized by cakes, flowers and some symbols of Mary’s Life in the paintings behind
7 Two Mothers and A Baby, Mixed Media, 710mm x 710mm SOLD
Inspired by photographs taken of my friend Jeanette, her daughter Georgie and her first grandchild,
Emily. I wanted to express the confidence of Emily that she is utterly loved and adored and
the wish that all babies might know the same at some time in their lives. Amongst the toys are
symbols of the golden unwritten book of Emily’s life and the secret box holding angels below it.
The flecks of colours and gold symbolize unseen potentials and blessings.
8 Alterations, Mixed Media, 1130mmx 550mm, Price $650
Elizabeth’s Alterations in the arcade in town (may now have changed hands) always impressed
me with the quiet sense of calm, skill and concentration. The jackets being worked on at the time
were hanging on the wall but transformed into memories or thoughts of fathers, husbands and ancestors.
9 The Birthday Quilt Mixed Media, 914mm x 1222mm, SOLD
Inspired by being at Mary’s 7oth Birthday Party at which her daughter Jules had secretly organized
all Mary’s friends to make a square of quilt each to be stitched together and presented to her
as a surprise! The friendship, love and offerings within the quilt seemed to spread out into the
room and beyond as I hope it might do from out of the painting. Within the quilt are symbols and
secret images of Life known and unknown, seen and unseen
10 The Baptism, Mixed Media, 450mm x 560mm SOLD
Inspired by my daughter, newly arrived exhausted from Manchester and getting her hair washed
by my hairdresser Jeni Finlayson. The healing properties of water and fontlike form of the sink
seemed to suggest a Baptism taking place into a new life here in New Zealand for her.
11 The Healing, Mixed Media, 1150mm x762mm, SOLD
As in the previous painting I want to suggest that what happens in ordinary daily life may have
magic and sacred qualities which we don’t always perceive with our ordinary looking. Inspired by
daughter Robin being ‘transformed’ by Hairdresser Jeni.
12 The Flower Girl, Mixed Media, 710mmx 710mm Price $750
Inspired by photographs from the Whangarei HeadsSchool Spring Festival 2011, at which girls
were making beautiful garlands from willow twigs, wild and garden flowers.
Maddy Smith Bell’s wistful face inspired this portrait which has suggestions of plants animals and
beings in the background who may be helpful in her life to come. A young girl in the Spring of her
life has the potential for good and the grace we would wish for all our daughters.
13 ANZAC Nurse Isabel with Torpedo,Mixed Media 240mm x 240mm SOLD
These paintings are inspired by small photographs after pg 174 ‘ The Other ANZACs’ by Peter
Rees and show the New Zealand nurses who died when ‘The Marquette’ was torpedoed.
The torpedo becomes the waterfall of Peace in the second painting and a long white cloud in the
third
13 ANZAC Nurse Helena with Waterfall, Mixed Media, 240mm x 240mm SOLD
These paintings are inspired by small photographs after pg 174 ‘ The Other ANZACs’ by Peter
Rees and show the New Zealand nurses who died when ‘The Marquette’ was torpedoed.
The torpedo becomes the waterfall of Peace in the second painting and a long white cloud in the
third
13 ANZAC Nurse Margaret with Long White Cloud, Mixed Media, 240mm x 240mm SOLD
These paintings are inspired by small photographs after pg 174 ‘ The Other ANZAC’ by Peter
Rees and show the New Zealand nurses who died when ‘The Marquette’ was torpedoed.
The torpedo becomes the waterfall of Peace in the second painting and a long white cloud in the
third
16 The Hospital Board, Mixed Media, 1140mm x 540mm, Price $850
Thanks to Don the curator of the far North Regional Museum for sending me the photo of the
Mangonui Hospital Board the first in the area 1920-23. It inspired this painting and the brave and
rare face of the woman who is the focus.
17 Three Friends, Mixed Media, 240mmx 240mm SOLD
18 Coming Out, Mixed Media, 140mm x200mm Price $150
Inspired by a photograph of Elizabeth Barker in her Coming Out Dress 15th Feb 1868.
What can you see lurking in the undergrowth?
19 Three Girlfriends at a Christening, Mixed Media 120mm x 220 SOLD
This was the first painting in the series and emerged entirely from imagination. I loved painting
the shoes and dresses of the girls who are linked together very closely. The girl at the end is a bit
distracted and not really focused on the baby and that’s okay…. The red circle of paint represents
something which links the women.
20 Karanga. Mixed Media, 304mmx 154mm Price $175
Partially inspired by a small image in a wonderful book called ‘Standing in the Sunshine ‘by Sandra
Coney of the calls of welcome and reply between tangatawhenua the host group, and
manuwhiri, the visiting group (1908 Nuhaka) and my own first experience of this ceremony in
which a hole in the ether seemed to appear for us to walk through – a very powerful and unworldly
experience.
21 Te Kanikani A Kui Ma, Mixed Media 154mmx 150mm, SOLD
The Dance of The Older Women inspired by a small photo in the 'Standing in the Sunshine' book
by Sandra Coney. I loved the happiness in the central figures face and the stately elegant dancing
of the other figures. Loved the cardigans wrapped round their middles like ceremonial wraps.
22 In the Salon, Mixed Media, 240mmx 240mm, Price $160
Imaginary figures supported by photographic references – one of my first explorations into this
theme
23 Reaching High, Mixed Media, 150mm x 154mm Price $150
The importance of sport- in this case three basketball players around 1944 – is an enormously
important way in which women can reach high and excel
There have been lots of ‘x’ factor moments during my 7 years in New Zealand. It’s a wish that we
can all experience these on a regular basis in this wonderful land – in the garden, on a beach, on
a mountain, in a park….
24 Entering The Stream Mixed Media 153mmx 153mm, Price $150
25 The Sewing Class, Mixed Media, 712mm x 712 mm Price $750
Inspired by a photograph from the Far North Regional Museum showing sewing lessons at Te
Hapua School. 1907. (on the edge of the Parengarenga Harbour) Teacher is Mrs. Greensmith.
I loved discovering the various personalities and emotions within the characters I was painting as
well as sensing the intense concentration of some of the children – Maori boys wrapped in sheets or
given dresses to wear for the photograph.
26 Joy, Mixed Media, 1202mm x 220 mm Sold
There have been lots of ' X' factor moments during my 7 years in New Zealand,
It's a wish that we can all experience these on a regular basis in this wonderful land -
in the garden, on the beach, on the mountain, in a park...