Offering to Persephone was inspired by my recent stay at an artist residency in Greece, where I rekindled my fascination with ancient Greek mythology. This painting is a small homage to Persephone—the goddess who dwells between worlds, embodying the eternal cycle of life, death and rebirth.
Set in a threshold moment between autumn and winter, the still life rests gently against a dreamlike Mediterranean landscape. The pomegranates, both intact and broken open, symbolise fertility, transformation, and the duality of Persephone’s story—her descent into the underworld and her return each spring. The glass of red wine suggests ritual offering and ceremonial reverence, hinting at the myths of sacrifice and renewal.
The dried leaves quietly speak of passing time and seasonal decay, while in the distance, the softly sculpted trees echo the liminal atmosphere: a place neither wholly of this world nor entirely of the next. The painting holds its breath at twilight, honouring the moment of transition.
In this work, I invite the viewer to consider what must be surrendered for rebirth to take place, and how beauty can exist within cycles of change and impermanence.