Week 41 — Ecstasy

Explored!

 

Week 41/52

 

This shot has been a long time in the making. It was requested by a friend of mine, Mateus, when I first started this project. He wanted me to recreate this sculpture, by my life-long obsession Gian Lorenzo Bernini. I never found the right time to do it, but this week I felt this urge to take the shot. I was already buying the fabric when I realized that tomorrow is actually October 15 — Saint Teresa of Avila's day. So it's either a nice trick my brain did there or a coincidence, but a happy one.

 

Teresa of Avila is my favorite saint. She's the one I pray to every time things go wrong, she's the one I turn to when I'm sure I can't do this or that, or face a problem or a situation. She's the one whose words I look to, for guidance — so this homage was bound to happen sooner or later.

 

She was an unbelievably strong woman — the first to be named a Doctor of the Church. Practically alone, she reformed the Carmelites in Spain, turned an order that was loosing itself in the mundane world, into a place of prayer and contemplation. She fought hard for what she wanted, and never seized to work until the day that she died. Her writings (especially her words on her ectsasies) are inspiring to read.

 

Of course, there's something to be said about the fact that I am representing the angel as well as Saint Teresa in the shot — this came merely out of necessity. I didn't have time to get a kid (even my sister) to do it with me, so I had to do it myself. I understand that for someone who looks into a deeper meaning in this, it might come across as strange, when Teresa of Avila so deeply enjoyed talking about letting go of ourselves and giving our lives to others (and here I am, twice in one shot). But that was the only way the shot could happen, so it had to be this way. Just forget I'm the angel as well. :p

 

So there's not much more I can say about this shot, other than to leave you with some of my favorite words of hers.

 

"Be gentle to all, and stern with yourself."

 

"There are more tears shed over answered prayers than over unanswered prayers."

 

"To have courage for whatever comes in life -- everything lies in that."

 

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On a completely different topic, I've been thinking about reopening my Etsy shop. Do you guys think I should? I've been getting some requests for prints, and I'd sure like to make some money with my work. But at the same time… i don't know. Do you guys think I should?

 

[Note (January 2015): The window and the arrow were found during a google search. I'm not sure if they are protected by copyright — at the time when I did this, I wasn't completely aware of copyright policy and I did it innocently — but it doesn't take from the fact that I used stock imagery. I've tried back search and other ways of tracking, but I haven't come up with these photos. Either way, if someone knows the author of the window or of the arrow, and can direct me to them, I'll be really grateful. And to the authors of these photos: I sincerely apologize, and I hope that if you ever come across this photo and see your work, you let me know so that I can properly credit you, or take it down. Thank you.]

Done