My work explores feminine strength and beauty through portraiture. In an attempt to celebrate the empowered and resilient women in my life, I depict them as inherently one with their colorful environments. Through sinewy lines emerging from distinct color fields, the women claim their spirituality and internal power. In this series I aim to create strong female figures that derive their power from their environments and in relation to each other. Modeled off of the women I am proud to call my closest friends, their forms are suffused with the feelings of love and community I feel when with them.

This work relates to the Spiritual Battle found in Ephesians 6:10-20 because of the way the verse deals with the matter of protection. The conflict described in Ephesians 6: 10-20, is both within the self and society. We therefore must engage with this scripture on both levels to understand it. I process much of my spiritual questions within my painting. In creating this psychological view of motherhood in "A modern Madonna" I hope to address the way I reconcile with a personal spiritual battle. Specifically, when the verse refers to "the Armour of God", I interpret that sort of protection as the bond between mother and child and the strength of a mother's love. The fearlessness that comes with the truth and righteousness of love like that would be able to give strength against of the devil's schemes.

I would like to thank my dear friend Claudia, who modeled for this project for me with her blessed child.

Original work $3,600. If interested in purchasing one can contact me at cadranow@bowdoin.edu or dranow999@gmail.com. I can also be found through my website www.carodranow.com

I do direct commissions, public art commissions, workshops for children and teens, virtual painting lessons, and oil painting workshops