The Golden Pheasant Painting

Hendrikka Waage is an internationally renowned jewelry designer and artist born in Reykjavik, Iceland. Hendrikka began painting her series, “Wonderful Beings,” while studying at the London Academy of Arts. Her art and designs are influenced by the rich cultural traditions of the countries in which she has lived, including Japan and Russia. She is also a best-selling children’s book author and has written a series of children’s books which aim to educate children about their native cultures. Please share with us the symbolism behind the single-ear motif in the portraits of the painted ladies: The motif is open to interpretation, but one interpretation is that in today’s world, with an influx of information coming from every direction, you don’t have to listen to everything. The portraits pay tribute to women who have forged their own path in life rather than following conventional wisdom. Ultimately the motif is open-ended–open to boundless possibilities from one viewer to the next.