GUERREIRAS DA FLORESTA – AMAZON – HELICONIA

"Guerreiras da Floresta" is Portuguese for "Warriors of the Forest". It refers to a collective of powerful women from the Guajajara, Ka'apor, and Tembé ethnic groups located in the state of Maranhão, in the eastern Amazon. I like to think that every tree has one of these fearless women standing behind it, protecting it... I wanted to represent the lush tropical feel of the rainforest so that you could almost hear the noises of the birds and the insects and smell the damp earthy air. I wanted the colors of the Heliconia, also known as Lobster Claws or False Bird of Paradise to look 3d in the painting. These plants are essential to the ecosystem, particularly for hummingbirds, which are their primary pollinators. The bracts also collect rainwater, creating tiny aquatic habitats for insects and small frogs.