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BEAUTY IS SKIN DEEP (framed)  Goddess tibetan Thangka by Brian Batista
BEAUTY IS SKIN DEEP
Oil on canvas
18" X 24"
2011

This work features a female deity draped in soft pink fabrics. She herself is beautiful...... yet her skin is decaying. She is flanked by flowers, a divine source of wisdom and the fiery blade of inner strength. She stands atop a lotus throne which reveals the green under painting. The background is composed of a repeating golden carnation pattern, carnation symbolizing the bonds of affection.

We are all trapped within the confines of natural aging. Our society seems to view it with disdain; making aging and the wisdom that comes with time seem like a curse. The deity reminds us that with age and wisdom we become more beautiful even if our bodies begin to break down.

In our society, beauty is judged by youth and aspects of perfection and symmetry. However, the most beautiful things cannot be seen. Inner beauty is where the true beauty lies. If we cultivate the right character within ourselves and develop both wisdom and experience, we will have far more lasting and valuable form of beauty.

Our society misleads us into believing that cheerful and superficial beauty of youth has everlasting value and universal appeal. However youthful beauty tends to take itself for granted and often morphs into ugly narcissism, as it has not had the opportunity to refine itself. The beauty the eye cannot behold is a true beauty, the one that comes from within.

Print available here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/82604490/beauty-is-skin-deep-thangka-fine-art-oil