Ceremony in the Jungle

A young native is using a candle at a riverbed in the forest to attract important spirits important for her life that will protect the land and her family. I usually use watercolor, but really wanted the bolder impact of gouache paint. Found it was a very nice and versatile medium to work with. The boldness of the colors helped convey her character and meaning of her ceremony. Also the way the forest is painted so boldly explains the remoteness of her existence.