Title: Ying and Yang
Year: 2011
Size: Each 14” x 28”
Media : Mixed Media on Studded Leather Canvas

Description:
The dragon is an auspicious and revered creature in Japan - the shape of the archipelago itself is said to look like a dragon and, since ancient times it has been celebrated as the bringer of rain, vital to the rice crops that make up the country and sustain its people.
The dragon as water god is celebrated at shrines throughout the country as is the accompanying thunder and lightning that symbolize purification and energy from the heavens that is infused into the rice. Rice is the heart and soul of Japanese people; consequently, the dragon resides within the heart and soul of the Japanese people. In this piece, the left is the falling dragon and the right is ascending. Together they are a pair — wicked and protecting, ying and yang.