This sculpture is based on a stone carving of a woman found above the entrance to a cave in a remote part of France. It was carved in prehistoric times, circa 18,000-20,000 B.C., and we have no written clues to her significance. She may be pregnant; she certainly is or has been fertile. She holds a horn with 13 notches in it, possibly symbolizing the 13 yearly cycles of the moon. She has no face; it isn’t sure whether there was ever one or not – if so, it has been worn away by natural forces over the centuries.

To me, she’s perfect as she is and doesn’t need a face, for she is the archetypal mother-force from which we all come and to which we will all return. She has a delicacy and grace in her hands, her feet and her stance, but she exudes strength and dignity as well. She holds time in the palm of one hand, she knows all about cycles and the fleeting nature of life on earth, and yet she still remains.