And when the days of her purification have been completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring a sheep in its first year as a burnt offering, and a young dove or a turtle dove as a sin offering, to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, to the kohen. (Leviticus 12:6)

The birth process is the most powerful encounter between body and soul. After childbirth the mother brings offerings of a sheep and bird to the kohen (priest). Here, in the painting their translucent figures emerge from a simple background. The woman, painted in blue, reflects the sky, suggesting the purification of her body after birth. In contrast the priest is painted red, reminiscent of earth and blood, and the substantiality of the world. They both contain and share a harmony in purple, a combination of red and blue together. Painted with broad strokes of the hand, the painting resonates with the primal energy of this ritual.