Yemanjá ~ Nossa Senhora Do Mar
18" x 24" acrylic on wood
© Rossana Reis, 2014

For background information, please visit article in English: http://blackwomenofbrazil.co/2013/12/31/if-yemanja-is-an-african-goddess-who-are-these-negros-carrying-brazils-racial-democracy-at-its-finest/; excerpts of this article has been translated from the original article in Brazilian Portugese: http://atabaqueblog.blogspot.com/2013/12/qual-cor-de-iemanja.html.

[image description: This painting is divided in two halves and almost merges together by the harmony of symbols and warm and cool colors. Half of Yemanjá's face and shoulders is situated on the left. Yemanjá (Iemanjá), is a Portuguese translation of Yemoja, Yoruban, West African goddess; hence her skin tone is shown here with dark brown hues. Her brown-black kinky curly hair is up, out and all around. The iris of her eye has a dark brown hue. She is adorned with a copperish crown with a moon snail seashell and half of a starfish near the center. Yemanjá s also adorned with a wide copperish collar necklace beaded with 3 cowrie seashells (the third appears halved near the center). She is also wears a copperish arm bracelet. A greyish dolphin behind her, appearing slightly smaller and further away, is in midair about to dive into the water. Below three turtles are swimming in the ocean. The end of her blue and purple scaled tail is slightly noticeable behind her. On the right, half of Nossa Senhora Do Mar's face and shoulders appear in lighter brown skin tone. Her face is framed by thick wavy golden brown hair. The iris of her eye has a caramel hue. The nose of both Nossa Senhora and Yemanjá appears to be merged by their broad shape; their lips are also merged by their full shape and burgundy/wine hues. She is wearing a white dress with pinkish hues and the end of her dress appears to flow upward at the same height as Yemanjá's tail. Nossa Senhora is adorned with a silver crown and wide silver collar necklace. Her crown is decorated with a swirl and half of a shiny star and merged with half of the starfish on the left to form a full star. Her collar necklace is studded with three diamonds and the third near the center is halved and merged with the halved cowrie seashell on the left. A waterfowl is flying upward towards the right behind her; below the bird are white flowers with pinkish hues floating in the ocean. Both Yemanjá and Nossa Senhora are framed by the glowing moon behind them and an illusion of a gold trimmed burgundy frame.]