Agave Rabbit

I live in a canyon at the north-western edge of LA County. In this canyon we have numerous native desert species of plants and animals. I love the coyotes and hares because they remind me of the ebb and flow of seasons and the cycle of life, each also representing traditional mythologies about tricksters.

The agave plant is incredibly beautiful and enduring. In some lights it is almost a cobalt blue, in others it is a leafy green with yellow edges. It is also a traditional medicinal plant used to treat injuries, bites and other ailments.

I thought it would be fun to create a painting that incorporated symbolic elements of both the hare and the agave. My search for inspirations led me to Aztec mythology and the 400 Drunken Rabbit Gods, each representing a manifestation of intoxication produced by the traditional Mesoamerican beverage known as Pulque, made from the maguey [agave] plant.

This is a painting of a very relaxed and contemplative drunken rabbit diety, enjoying himself in the fronds of an agave.

Prints available.