Come join us in celebration of vital art here in Gainesville, Florida.   Friday, January 30th from 7:00 – 10:00 pm.  Witness an artist’s vision of Eco-Inclusivity.  Community of all gender, orientation, race & spirituality, sustainably drawn together by art, music & knowledge.

Wild Iris Books, Wild Words Cafe’ and Tia Ma invite you to bless this prayer filled paint job with your presence.   Candlelight ceremony begins at 8pm.

Background:

In 2006 Tia Ma, local artist and business owner, did a 20ft pastel drawing displayed in Wild Iris on the community lymphatic system which was a commentary on gossip, exclusivity, and illusions of separation, fragmentation and isolation. This piece raised a lot of eyebrows and was a strong inducement for conversation and reflection. As a result, Wild Iris asked Tia to do a mural for the outside of the building. The result is a mural that depicts their highest vision for a community that is inclusive, honoring differences, connecting in a circle of harmony, young and old, all races, all genders, all preferences.

The mural is a painted prayer that casts a circle of fire, earth, water and air. The red ribbon as fire, water from the goddess’s hand, her face represents air, and the earth symbolized by the irises blooming at the bottom. The central figure is a golden egg containing a wild iris which holds the vibration of The Goddess. The iris flower essence depicts creativity and is the radiant force bringing everyone together. With the light of the golden egg shining on the entire circle of people, their differences fade into the shadows.

The Hunab Ku is the Mayan symbol of the “all that is,” goddess/god, Great Spirit, located in the upper right hand corner of the mural. The use of Florida’s native flora and fauna symbolizes sustainability, symbolizing living in harmony as a collective with nature.

After the completion of the mural, Tia created a five part series from the original 20ft pastel piece. These pieces are available for viewing and purchase during Art Walk. Tia wanted to disperse the pieces as a pollination, showing that we can move from isolation and separatism into a community that honors and celebrates differences.

Ten percent of the proceeds for the artwork will be allocated for the 13 Tones Mural Grant for Children. This grant will serve as an art project for young artists whose focus will teach different phases of mural creation from articulating the vision to design and manifestation. The focus will be community centered with the intent on inclusion, in order to create and enhance the experience of community, sustainability, self-expression and respect for society. For more information on the grant, contact Tia Ma at 352-246-1201.