Ravens and Blackberries 27" x 19" acrylics on canvas

This is about flavors. Picture this moment. The ravens are sharp, intelligent birds. They're not just loitering. They're actively occupying this space, and what's more, they're sassing you. The blackberries are sweet and tangy. They're also aggressive plants. And don't overlook the thorns. Black and black. There is a certain Tibetan wrathful deity, also black, a remover of obstacles and defender of Buddhism. He is a powerful ally but a terrible enemy. I was thinking of how he might appear in one's life in things of like color, but also in things of similar flavor. That is, his help would be sweet, but sometimes not without a sting to the lesson. This painting is intended as a dilute manifestation of him.