Feather and Storm - Oya

When storms churn the sky and wind rips apart the clouds, Oya, the fierce goddess of transformation, is near.  She is no gentle breeze, more a tornado, not a sigh but a roar. Oya is the goddess of winds, lightning and storms, bringing both chaos and transformation.  She symbolises feminine leadership, a fierce protector of women, and is a symbol of changing times; but she is also tied to death, guiding souls into the afterlife. Oya is a warrior goddess, fiery, unyielding and fiercely protective of those who honour her. She sweeps away what is old so that the new can begin. She is a goddess of transformation.  

In this piece, I have portrayed a suspended moment where a contemplative Oya lifts a striking African parrot, breathing him into shafts of warm light amid a swirl of blues, magentas and gold. The parrot is a symbol of communication, truth and the power of the human mind, and is a conduit between the human and divine realms.  Oya’s steady gaze and her layered beads, behind the parrot’s slate coloured plumage and fiery red tail, create a charged, intimate dialogue between the goddess and those who can hear her . Luminous rays carve the haze, revealing soft hands, alert eyes and a tension that is at once tender and ominous—mystery tempered by quiet strength and a call for peace.