Baba Marta

March has come and spring is on its way. According to Bulgarian traditions, this is the "woman's month." It is also the month when the popular tradition of the martenitsa is carried out - interwoven red and white adornments that people give to each other for good luck and health. When one sees a stork or a tree in bloom, one takes the martenitsa off and hangs it on a tree. It is one of my favorite rituals.

This is a 2001 sketch for a painting entitled "March" (in the painting section). You can see the martenitsa in the head of the tree-like figure, and she is holding a small blooming tree in her hands.

More info on the martenitsa http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martenitsa