“Maxxed Out on Love, Joy and Flowers: The Goddess is Afoot” was my entry into the annual “Fabulous Forgeries” exhibit at the Virginia Beach Art Center in January, 2022.  (For that exhibition, entries may be copies of well known artworks, or simply based on a famous artist’s style.)

I was inspired by Peter Max’s “Cosmic Jumper” and the other iconic images he often used, including the peace dove, the stars and planets, the sunrise and sun’s rays, flowers, the happy rainbow colors, and the face in the clouds. These all brought back fond memories of hippiedom! So, using his images as a jumping off point, I focused on creating a softer, more organic version honoring the Feminine. This hippie goddess is wearing a MAXi-dress and her “boots are made for walkin’”!  And yep, I actually had those boots!

This gal is joyfully leaping toward dismantling toxic patriarchy with her flowers and positive vibes!

Most of Max’s iconic “Cosmic Jumpers” were running toward the left–as in this postage stamp, below–which connotes going into the past.  I decided to position my figure running toward the happy future on the right.

1974 postage stamp commemorating Expo ’74 by Peter Max

This mixed media piece was created with watercolors and Prismacolor pencil on watercolor paper, and I had lots of fun creating it!

Peter Max studied at the Art Students’ League in New York, with Frank Reilly. Peter said he was in class one day and looked up and was surprised and delighted to see that Norman Rockwell had stepped in!

Both Norman Rockwell and Frank Reilly are in the direct Ocean View Arts Artistic Lineage, more info is here.