"The work of our group was not to re-enact the ancient goddess myths,
but to take those myths to their next level of evolutionary unfolding.
Artists are the myth makers."
Katherine Josten, Founder, The Global Art Project
Since its inception in 1998, the "Masks of the Goddess" Collection has traveled to many communities and individuals. What has evolved has always been in its essence Collaborative, and I am grateful to all of my fellow Creators. From the Spiral Dance and the New College of California to the Chapel of the Sacred Mirrors in New York City, from the Matrilineage Festival at the University of Syracuse, the Masks Symposium in Southern Illinois, the Muse Community Arts Center in Tucson, the Kripalu Institute in Massachusetts, and more. I've been privileged to share my work with dancers, ritualists, playwrights, storytellers, priestesses, activists, and students bringing the Goddesses into the world in many ways. No artist could ask for more.
Photographs are by courtesy of: Jerri Jo Idarius, Ileya Stewart, Thomas Lux, Peter Hughes, Ann Beam and Lauren Raine
but to take those myths to their next level of evolutionary unfolding.
Artists are the myth makers."
Katherine Josten, Founder, The Global Art Project
Since its inception in 1998, the "Masks of the Goddess" Collection has traveled to many communities and individuals. What has evolved has always been in its essence Collaborative, and I am grateful to all of my fellow Creators. From the Spiral Dance and the New College of California to the Chapel of the Sacred Mirrors in New York City, from the Matrilineage Festival at the University of Syracuse, the Masks Symposium in Southern Illinois, the Muse Community Arts Center in Tucson, the Kripalu Institute in Massachusetts, and more. I've been privileged to share my work with dancers, ritualists, playwrights, storytellers, priestesses, activists, and students bringing the Goddesses into the world in many ways. No artist could ask for more.
Photographs are by courtesy of: Jerri Jo Idarius, Ileya Stewart, Thomas Lux, Peter Hughes, Ann Beam and Lauren Raine
Mana Youngbear and Cast (2002)
"Persephone's myth is about moving into a new state of being. All the soul riches, the knowledge, the art, everything was running down the drain into Hades and it stayed there. It stopped circulating. This was the myth of the descent of Inanna as well; everything went down to the Underworld and got stuck there in the unconscious. Ereshkigal, the mind of the underworld, was on strike - she refused to process. We can look at both of the stories of Persephone and Inanna and see that they are pathfinders to the unconscious, to the other worlds. That's a very important myth for our time."..........Elizabeth Fuller
"Corn Mother's story represents the wealth that comes from the hard work of forgiveness. How can we be fed, feed each other, how can we create peace, if we cannot learn the lessons of forgiveness, if we cannot learn tolerance for our differences? That is the beginning place we will need in order to evolve into a peaceful Rainbow Nation. To me, the Rainbow as actually a circle. Half the rainbow disappears into the ground, into an underworld realm, where it exists beneath the Earth, dark and hidden, but at the foundation never the less. Like the Corn Mother."............Christy Salo
"Lilith, to me, is the most intelligent archetypal power. She rules the liminal landscape between the subconscious and the conscious mind, and can help make that information conscious and usable in your life. Lilith is the bridge. "What you believe" is just a shell. Lilith is about breaking the shell. Sometimes you have to fall apart to be put back together, because that's the only way to be re-integrated. You cannot veneer Lilith’s teachings on top of who you think you are.”...........David Jeffers
" Amaterasu, by enacting the myth with my dance, empowered me to see the fiery ball of sun energy I have in my heart as well." ...........Carolyn Lucento
"Kali is so much about contemporary life. Women need to become angry. About the meaningless wars, the destruction of our environment. The demons of insatiable greed that are devouring our planet. Those who await the future are being denied their birthright. Kali is the catalyst for saying "No more". It's time to embrace the sword of Kali and cut away the delusions that are destroying our world. Kali was the "last ditch savior", the ferocious mother who says "get away from my children." ...............Drissana Devananda
With Gratitude to:
Macha NightMare , Ann Bridgit Waters, Mana Youngbear, Diane Darling, and Abbie Willowroot , for their collaboration and inspiration. And to:
Serene Zloof, Barbara Jaspersen, Starhawk, Shelly McHugh "Valley High", Lena Grace and her Colleagues, David Jeffers & Benad Hasche, Fahrusha, Monika Mann, Kelly Nelson, Flynt Garner, Silk, Duncan Cook, Celestine Star, Evelie Posche, Lilla Luoma, Will Clipman, Jeff Grienke, Isobel Amourous, Kathy Huataluhta, Ileya Stewart, Morgana Canady, Valerie James, Quynn Elizabeth, Katherine Josten, Erica Swadley, Grey Eagle, Ann Huggins, Celestine Star, Kala, Eleni, Alan Moore, Drissana Devananda, Elizabeth Fuller, Conrad Bishop, Ann Beam, Paloma Hill, Jim Hewes, Arjuna & Tuva Space, Jo Odessa & Buka Creati, Deborah Scott Gren, Mary Kay Landon, Sabina Magliocco, Farida Fox, Tara Webster, Willow Kelly, Dawn Marlowe, Juan Pablo Guiterrez, Kala Levin, Amadae, Vibra Willow, Amy Luna Manderino, James Lovette-Black, Amie Miller, July Lewis, Stacy Kalkowski, Lee Hendrickson, Adrienne Hirt, Barbara BBC, Freya Anderson, Morgaine Harris, Laura Janesdaughter, Tansy Brooks, Willow Kelly, Damira Norris, Maria Wahlstrom, Fontain and FONTAIN'S MUSE, Kendra, Copper Persephone, Eleni Livitsanos, Jamra, Cypress, Cris Ferreira, Christy Salo, Melusina Gomez, Maritza Schaefer, Journey, Nada Khodlova, Stessa, Angela Blessing, Rachel Morgain, Catlin & Reggie Williams, Ingrid Aspomatis, Annie and Phil, Carlin Diamond, Alan & Audrey Smith, Lea Bender, THE VEIL, Sammi Alijagic, Paul Fisher, Toker Johnston, Linda Johnston, Motherbear Scott, Ashley Wallace, Melissa Penn, Laura Dubois, Dorit Bat Shalom, Jeanne Koelle, Karina McAbee, Navaab Munirith, Charlie Adams, Sharon Kihara, Nettie, Corinne Levy, Judy Foster, Dina, Amanda Allison, Wendy Cornelius, Kendra Stone, Bombshell Betty, Heaven, Ariel, Shanel, Carrie Adams, Kim Arnold, Nadirah Adeye, Thallia Bird, April Taylor, Dailey Little, Rhonda, Marisa Scirocco, Jonette Ford, Lyndzee Dava, Ayelen Liberona, Carolyn Lucento, Pythia and the Temple of the Goddess …………and many more.
And to Thomas Lux, Peter Hughes, Ann Beam, Jerri Jo Idarius and Ileya Stewart for the generous use of their photographs.
"Corn Mother's story represents the wealth that comes from the hard work of forgiveness. How can we be fed, feed each other, how can we create peace, if we cannot learn the lessons of forgiveness, if we cannot learn tolerance for our differences? That is the beginning place we will need in order to evolve into a peaceful Rainbow Nation. To me, the Rainbow as actually a circle. Half the rainbow disappears into the ground, into an underworld realm, where it exists beneath the Earth, dark and hidden, but at the foundation never the less. Like the Corn Mother."............Christy Salo
"Lilith, to me, is the most intelligent archetypal power. She rules the liminal landscape between the subconscious and the conscious mind, and can help make that information conscious and usable in your life. Lilith is the bridge. "What you believe" is just a shell. Lilith is about breaking the shell. Sometimes you have to fall apart to be put back together, because that's the only way to be re-integrated. You cannot veneer Lilith’s teachings on top of who you think you are.”...........David Jeffers
" Amaterasu, by enacting the myth with my dance, empowered me to see the fiery ball of sun energy I have in my heart as well." ...........Carolyn Lucento
"Kali is so much about contemporary life. Women need to become angry. About the meaningless wars, the destruction of our environment. The demons of insatiable greed that are devouring our planet. Those who await the future are being denied their birthright. Kali is the catalyst for saying "No more". It's time to embrace the sword of Kali and cut away the delusions that are destroying our world. Kali was the "last ditch savior", the ferocious mother who says "get away from my children." ...............Drissana Devananda
With Gratitude to:
Macha NightMare , Ann Bridgit Waters, Mana Youngbear, Diane Darling, and Abbie Willowroot , for their collaboration and inspiration. And to:
Serene Zloof, Barbara Jaspersen, Starhawk, Shelly McHugh "Valley High", Lena Grace and her Colleagues, David Jeffers & Benad Hasche, Fahrusha, Monika Mann, Kelly Nelson, Flynt Garner, Silk, Duncan Cook, Celestine Star, Evelie Posche, Lilla Luoma, Will Clipman, Jeff Grienke, Isobel Amourous, Kathy Huataluhta, Ileya Stewart, Morgana Canady, Valerie James, Quynn Elizabeth, Katherine Josten, Erica Swadley, Grey Eagle, Ann Huggins, Celestine Star, Kala, Eleni, Alan Moore, Drissana Devananda, Elizabeth Fuller, Conrad Bishop, Ann Beam, Paloma Hill, Jim Hewes, Arjuna & Tuva Space, Jo Odessa & Buka Creati, Deborah Scott Gren, Mary Kay Landon, Sabina Magliocco, Farida Fox, Tara Webster, Willow Kelly, Dawn Marlowe, Juan Pablo Guiterrez, Kala Levin, Amadae, Vibra Willow, Amy Luna Manderino, James Lovette-Black, Amie Miller, July Lewis, Stacy Kalkowski, Lee Hendrickson, Adrienne Hirt, Barbara BBC, Freya Anderson, Morgaine Harris, Laura Janesdaughter, Tansy Brooks, Willow Kelly, Damira Norris, Maria Wahlstrom, Fontain and FONTAIN'S MUSE, Kendra, Copper Persephone, Eleni Livitsanos, Jamra, Cypress, Cris Ferreira, Christy Salo, Melusina Gomez, Maritza Schaefer, Journey, Nada Khodlova, Stessa, Angela Blessing, Rachel Morgain, Catlin & Reggie Williams, Ingrid Aspomatis, Annie and Phil, Carlin Diamond, Alan & Audrey Smith, Lea Bender, THE VEIL, Sammi Alijagic, Paul Fisher, Toker Johnston, Linda Johnston, Motherbear Scott, Ashley Wallace, Melissa Penn, Laura Dubois, Dorit Bat Shalom, Jeanne Koelle, Karina McAbee, Navaab Munirith, Charlie Adams, Sharon Kihara, Nettie, Corinne Levy, Judy Foster, Dina, Amanda Allison, Wendy Cornelius, Kendra Stone, Bombshell Betty, Heaven, Ariel, Shanel, Carrie Adams, Kim Arnold, Nadirah Adeye, Thallia Bird, April Taylor, Dailey Little, Rhonda, Marisa Scirocco, Jonette Ford, Lyndzee Dava, Ayelen Liberona, Carolyn Lucento, Pythia and the Temple of the Goddess …………and many more.
And to Thomas Lux, Peter Hughes, Ann Beam, Jerri Jo Idarius and Ileya Stewart for the generous use of their photographs.
