Mythologies

Chang'e The Moon Goddess

Chang’e the Mood Goddesses story starts with her husband Houyi, a legendary archer. According to the myth, The Jade emperor’s sons, the ten suns, decided to rise all at once, scorching the earth and causing widespread suffering. To save the world, Houyi the divine archer was forced to shoot down nine of the suns, leaving only one. The Jade Emperor, upset about this resolution, banished Houyi and Chang’e from the divine heavens to live as mortals.

Houyi journeyed for and was rewarded with the elixir of immortality by the Queen Mother of the West. The elixir was to be consumed by both Chang’e and Houyi, consuming the whole bottle alone would make one a divine being. One day, an impatient Chang’e takes the elixir and becomes a divine goddess. Another version tells her taking the elixir as a form of sacrifice to prevent a treacherous thief from stealing it. Both have her floating to the moon to live out her eternal life without Houyi.

Though immortal, Chang’e’s story is one of sacrifice and longing, as she is forever separated from the one she loves, enduring her existence alone on the moon. Some versions of the myth even portray her as a tragic figure, yearning for reunion with Houyi but finding solace in the beauty of the moon. (she later is joined by the Jade Rabbit)

The art piece:

Acrylic Paint on Canvas (11x14)

A portrait of Chang’e, the Chinese moon goddess, soft clouds as she looks back while ascending to the moon. As the first piece in this series, I chose to stay close to traditional depictions of Chang’e floating gracefully toward the moon. While the style is modern and stylized, she still wears traditional Chinese hanfu and hairpieces.

Note: I started the portrait with her having a longing expression but it somehow turned into a smile.

Lada the Goddess of Love, Beauty and Spring

Lada is the Slavic goddess of love, beauty, marriage, fertility, and harmony. Though not as widely recognized today as figures like Aphrodite or Freya, Lada held an important role in pre-Christian Slavic traditions. She’s often imagined as a radiant, golden-haired maiden surrounded by flowers, sunlight, and peaceful energy.

Her myth varies across regions, and because much of her story was passed down orally through folk songs and rituals. her origins are still debated, some even question if she was truly a goddess or a just symbolic figure. But in the cultures that honored her, Lada represented love, springtime, and emotional and natural balance.

The art piece:

Acrylic Paint on Canvas (11X14)

Portrait of Lada with her golden hair surrounded by blooming flowers. The painting and her eyes are a vibrant green, inspired by emeralds, a stone that's closely associated with her. Green also symbolizes nature and spring.

Xochiquetzal

Xochiquetzal, meaning “Precious Feather Flower,” is the Aztec goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, fertility, and creative expression. She was originally married to Tlaloc, the god of rain, but her beauty drew the attention of Tezcatlipoca, the god of night and chaos. He abducted her and forced her into marriage, after which she became the goddess of love.

Despite this violent beginning, Xochiquetzal evolved into a powerful figure radiant, youthful, and full of vitality. She became the protector of lovers, sex workers, pregnant women, midwives, and artists, especially weavers. In many depictions, she appears dressed in elaborate garments, surrounded by flowers and beauty, holding either a bouquet or weaving tools.

The art piece:

Acrylic Paint on Canvas (11X14)

Portrait of Xochiquetzal surrounded by vibrant flowers and feathers reflecting her name “ Precious Feather Flower”. She is wearing an ornate headpiece and I wanted her to have a beautiful glow to her.

Pygmalion and Galatea

Pygmalion was a gifted sculptor who had grown disillusioned with the women around him. Some versions of the myth say he believed women were morally flawed or unworthy. Others suggest he had high ideals and no desire to settle for someone who didn’t meet them.

Rather than pursue human connection, he threw himself into his work. After having dreams of a woman he created an ivory statue of her. So beautiful and perfect in form that he fell in love with her. He dressed the statue, brought it gifts, and even gave her jewelry and shells as if she were alive. He spoke to her, kissed her, and longed for her to love him back.

At a festival honoring Aphrodite, Pygmalion made a prayer, not for his statue to come to life, but for a wife like his ivory statue. Aphrodite, seeing the depth of his devotion and recognizing his love as pure granted his wish.

When he returned home and kissed the statue once more, he felt warmth under his lips. The ivory softened into flesh, and his beloved creation came to life. Pygmalion married the woman, who was named Galatea, and even had children together.

The art piece:

Acrylic Paint on Canvas (11X14)

Depicting the “creation” looking up at his creator. I felt as though the theme could be applied to any gender. The creator’s hand gently caresses the face of their creation

.

Note:Though this myth was meant to be happy it has potential for some dark implications. Is it truly love if the other is made to be flawless? Does the creation have autonomy, or do their thoughts and emotions merely mirror the creator’s desires?

Bakunawa

In Visayan mythology from the Philippines, Bakunawa is a massive serpent-like dragon, often depicted with shimmering, luminescent scales. The myth says that there were once seven moons lighting the sky. But Bakunawa, enchanted by their beauty, devoured them one by one, casting the world into a deepening darkness.

As Bakunawa rose to swallow the final moon, the gods intervened, banishing the creature into the ocean's depths to protect what light remained.

Yet even now, during lunar eclipses, it is believed that Bakunawa is once again attempting to consume the last moon. In ancient times, Filipinos would beat drums, bang on pots and pans, and shout into the sky to protect the moon and drive Bakunawa away.

Some alternative interpretations portray Bakunawa in a more sympathetic light: as a lonely being mourning lost love or beauty, or as a creature of vengeance seeking retribution for the death of its sister, a turtle goddess killed by humans.

The art piece:

Acrylic Paint on Canvas (11X14)

Bakunawa reaching towards the final moon, I also included a personified version in the painting to state that the motives, emotions, and longing Bakunawa felt can be mirrored in us as humans.

The Star Maiden

In Ojibwe legend, the Star Maiden was a celestial being who lived among the stars with her sisters, watching over the Earth from the heavens. captivated by the harmony of nature and the peaceful ways of its people. She wished not just to observe the world, but to be part of it.

Moved by this desire, the Star Maiden descended to Earth in human form, a radiant maiden. She approached the village chief and asked what she could become in order to remain on Earth. His answer was simple but profound: "You may choose."

So began her search for belonging. She first transformed into a wildflower in an open field, but as animals trampled past and harsh winds blew, she realized how vulnerable she wasNext, she became a red rose in a garden. She was beautiful but isolated. She felt lonely and distant, unable to interact with the community she had so longed to be part of.

Discouraged, the Star Maiden prepared to return to the sky. But as she began to ascend, she caught sight of a quiet, shimmering lake below. Its surface reflected the night sky, showing the stars, her sisters above. It was serene. It held both the sky and the Earth in balance.

She descended once more and entered the water, becoming the very first water lily. At last, she felt truly at home. Her sisters followed soon after, and together they became a constellation of floating lilies, symbols of grace, beauty, and the delicate harmony between nature and the heavens.

The art piece:

Digital (11X14)

Adobe Illustrator & Procreate

The Star Maiden as she transforms into a water lily and finds her new home.

Rona and The Moon

The Māori myth of Rona and the Moon offers a powerful narrative about frustration, consequence, and unexpected transformation. Rona, a mortal woman, ventures out to fetch water after a heated argument with her husband. As she walks through the darkness, a cloud obscures the moonlight, causing her to stumble. In a moment of anger, she curses the moon (Marama).

Marama, Offended by Rona’s words, gives her a warning, but when she continues her outburst, Marama pulls her up into the sky. Rona grabs a nearby ngaio tree and her water gourd, but all three are carried with her.

Some versions of the story interpret this event as punishment: Rona becomes a permanent figure on the moon. However, other versions reframe it into something more redemptive. In these tellings, Marama treats Rona with compassion. The two eventually form a bond, and when Marama offers her the chance to return to Earth, she chooses to remain. He gives her an enchanted korowai, a traditional cloak woven with starlight and magic, transforming her into a divine being who holds sway over the tides and bodies of water.

It is said that on nights when the moon is full, one can still see Rona’s silhouette, along with the tree and the water gourd she held onto.

This myth stood out to me for its layered portrayal of emotion, consequence, and growth. It shows how a moment can lead to something life-changing, but also how choice and growth can emerge even in the most unexpected places.

The art piece:

Digital (11X14)

Adobe Illustrator & Procreate

Rona as a Divine being sitting on the moon as she controls the tides.

Saulė the Sun Goddess

In ancient Latvian mythology, Saulė is far more than just the sun, she is a divine maternal figure, a goddess of light, protection, and renewal. Often portrayed as riding a golden chariot across the sky, she brings warmth and life to the earth, nurturing all beings under her care.

Each morning, Saulė rises from the sea in the East, beginning her celestial journey. At dusk, she washes her shining horses in the ocean and retreats behind silver gates into her western castle.

Beyond her solar role, Saulė is deeply maternal. She is said to bathe her celestial daughters in morning dew, hang their golden garments on the trees, and offer light and healing energy to humans. Her presence in Latvian dainas (folk songs) and seasonal rituals paints her as a symbol of harmony, generosity, and the sacred feminine.

In some stories, Saulė is paired with Mēness, the Moon. At times he is her lover, but after a betrayal (details of which vary) he is condemned to be forever separated from her. Now they travel the sky apart, embodying the eternal division of day and night.

Her story reveals how ancient cultures personified natural elements with love and emotional complexity. In my capstone, Saulė’s myth helps illustrate how mythological figures often serve as emotional anchors across cultures, connecting cosmic cycles to deeply human themes like care, betrayal, and resilience.

The art piece:

Digital (11X14)

Adobe Illustrator & Procreate

Saulė the radiant sun goddess, sparkling and glowing as she offers her warmth to the world.

Gilgamesh, Enkidu and Ishtar

In the Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the oldest recorded myths in human history, we meet Gilgamesh, a powerful king of Uruk, two-thirds divine and one-third mortal. Though mighty, he is arrogant and unrestrained, so the gods create Enkidu, a wild man of the earth, to challenge and humble him. But instead of fighting, the two form a deep and legendary bond, journeying together to slay monsters and defy the will of the gods.

Their friendship becomes the heart of the story, a rare portrayal of emotional intimacy between men in ancient myth. They are soul-bound companions, facing divine beings and cosmic consequences side by side.

When Ishtar, the goddess of love and war, approaches Gilgamesh and proposes marriage, he refuses, citing the destruction left in the wake of her past relationships. Offended and humiliated, Ishtar unleashes the Bull of Heaven in revenge. Gilgamesh and Enkidu kill the bull, but this act enrages the gods. As punishment, Enkidu falls gravely ill and dies, leaving Gilgamesh shattered.

Overcome with grief and fear, Gilgamesh begins a desperate quest for immortality. He eventually finds a magical flower that could grant eternal life, but while distracted, a snake steals it away. In the end, Gilgamesh is forced to accept what he had tried to outrun: that death comes for all.

This myth doesn’t just explore the limits of human strength, it dives into vulnerability, grief, and the meaning we seek in life’s impermanence. What drew me to this story is how it balances divine conflict and personal emotion. It shows how myth can capture universal truths: love, loss, and the struggle to find purpose when even gods can't offer answers.

The art piece:

Digital (11X14)

Adobe Illustrator & Procreate

Gilgamesh and Enkidu ride the Bull of Heaven together, continuing their adventures side by side. This piece imagines an alternate fate, one where their story didn’t end in tragedy, but in more escapades together

Isis and Osiris

The myth of Isis and Osiris is one of the most enduring love stories from ancient Egypt, centered not only on romance, but on grief, devotion, and the power of resurrection.

Isis and Osiris ruled Egypt as a divine couple, embodying harmony and justice. But their peace was destroyed by Osiris’s brother, Set, who craved the throne. In a calculated betrayal, Set trapped Osiris in a coffin and threw it into the Nile river. Isis, heartbroken, scoured the land to find and retrieve his body.

Yet Set’s cruelty didn’t end there. He tore Osiris into pieces and scattered them across Egypt. Still, Isis refused to give up. Transforming into a bird, she searched for and recovered every piece of her beloved husband. With magic and ritual, under the full moon, she brought him back to life, for a brief moment.

Osiris could no longer stay in the world of the living. Instead, he became ruler of the underworld, a god of death, rebirth, and eternal judgment. Before his departure, Isis conceived their son, Horus, who would one day challenge Set and restore balance to Egypt.

This myth carries powerful themes: the lengths we go for love, the pain of loss, and the hope that something sacred can endure even after death. For my capstone, what stood out most was how Isis is portrayed, not just as a grieving wife, but as a powerful figure of feminine strength, magic, and resilience.

The art piece:

Digital (11X14)

Procreate

Isis holds Osiris as she brings him back from death, Under the night sky.