SciFi and Fantasy Art: Sarahn the Priestess of Tume

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I finally managed to zero in on part of why I see this figure as such a powerful one - the crest/veils headdress would require poise and strength to carry off, and would further inhibit her ability to defend herself if threatened - therefore, one must assume that either she has so much power that she is not allowed to be threatened, or so little that she is not allowed to defend herself (or both). I don't see threatening the clergy as a societally accepted norm, so the stronger image seemed more consistent with a priestess; even if she isn't allowed to defend herself physically, she is protected by her status, and perhaps by her god/dess, so that she does not need to.

So, I see her crest as being very much like a male peacock exhibiting his ability to survive despite the hindrance of his enormous tail, with its size denoting his 'handicap', as in golf - the amount by which the individual is above average can be determined by assessing the size of the handicap that they can overcome and still come out on top, (and impeccably groomed). Throughout nature we see the top breeding stock (usually but not always the males) advertising that by sporting a large useless handicap, such as an impractical tail or comb or crest.

We even see it in the comment that "Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, only backward and in high heels!" - in other words, her ability to overcome her handicap ("backwards, and in high heels"), and succeed anyway (did everything Fred Astaire did, and he set the bar for the field), proves her to be of superior skill.

So I see the crest as a handicap that proves this priestess' immunity from threat, based on the fact that she apparently thrives despite it. I also see it as a suggestion that perhaps this is a prominent individual, whose presence is to be noticed and deferred to, and whose location needs to be noted so that she is not accidentally transgressed against, by so much as bumping against her or soiling the hem of her skirts.

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P.S. When I said it wasn't your best medium, that's only because I've seen your other work, and some of your "pencil and photoshop" pieces make my jaw drop! You went and set yourself a very high standard to live up to, in those pieces! This piece is good, I wouldn't call it lacking, it just doesn't knock me into an awestruck silent reverie where I lose chunks of time without realizing it. <smile> It really does have that "painted" look, though - I checked against the statues last night, and they do look very similar.

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