If you are familiar with the the story of Shiva as the Lord of the Dance, you may recognize this story. My Painting “The Death of  Nerva” parallels the story of Nataraja Shiva, and his conquest over Apasmara.

As the Hindu Tale goes Shiva- encounters Apasmara "the demon of ignorance and forgetfulness" upon his cosmic dance-, and must crush him at his feet in order to ascend.

In this painting, "The Blue Goddess" encounters a former self, a fairy girl (nymph) named "Nerva", who is the personification of narcissistic physical beauty. In this painting she is pictured at a moment self-actualization, where she realizes she must destroy “Nerva”, in order to move forward and become her next level self.