Saint Gertrude was born way back in 1256 in Germany, and her association with kitty cats stems from the fact she was frequently summoned by the townsfolk to ward off illness and rodent infestations.
She was incredibly smart, earning an education unlike any woman of her time she harnessed her skills in philosophy, literature, singing and painting before turning to god. Gertrude was also a mystic and wrote a prayer that when spoken, apparently released 1,000 souls from Purgatory!
Wowsa. what a woman.
The thing that struck me and informed this painting was the beautiful thoughts of an educated woman and healer striding into her village in those early times banishing illness and rats with the wave of her hand (and maybe a few other things). She must've been quite a woman, and I reckon I would've loved her.
Love your work Gertie...
Gertie and the cats
My pocket shrines are devotional imagery, painted into small upcycled treasure boxes, as a reminder to pause and seek our sacred self in daily life.
Inspired by roadside temples in Bali and tiny frescoed chapels in Cyprus, seen on my adventurous travels in past years, these prayer boxes are small invitations to turn inward and reveal the true self, connected to all that is...