Description
Medium: clay, multiple glazes, gold luster, acrylics & wax patina – multiple firings
Size: about 18″ tall x 13″ wide x 13″ deep
She was a woman of profound influence in ancient Israel. Her story is to be found in the Book of Judges, which chronicles a chaotic and corrupt era, under a ruthless King Jabin of Canaan and his commander Sisera. “Now Deborah, a prophetess, a woman of flames, judged Israel at that time…” (Judges: chapter 4)
She controlled the Israelites armed forces under Barak and directed the defeat of the Canaanite army led by Sisera. “The journey that you take shall not be for your glory, for Yahweh will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman.” (Judges 4:8.9)
And this is where the story gets more powerful and telling of women’s potential for cold hearted, passionate and bloodthirsty revenge equal to any man’s. Yael, wife of Heber, through the most devious trickery killed Sisera in her tent, with a hammer and a tent peg, as Deborah had prophesied. “…And the Country had peace for forty years.” (Judges: chapter 5)
In modern times, Deborah would be called controlling, a know it all. And Deborah was. A general’s job is to be controlling and she was a general. A prophetess is a know it all. And she did. Deborah was like “…the sun when it emerges in all its strength.” (Judges 5:31)
Her power seems alien to me, even so-, passionate I modeled her to show the fierceness of her speaking and the warrior like aspect of her very being. Deborah was more than mortal, she was mythic.
