The Baniwa people of Amazonian South America believe in the powerful being Kamathawa, the harpy eagle, whose place is high in the cosmos. His feathers were a powerful tool to bring the summer and end the rains. According to Guardians of the Cosmos: Baniwa Shamans and Prophets by Robin M. Wright, "its predatory quality is enhanced by the title "Jaguar" Kamathawa"

This painting, of course, is not a literal, or even metaphorical exploration of the Kamathawa of Baniwa belief, but after discovering him through my thesis studies, I felt inspired to create a harpy eagle gryphon. The term "Jaguar Kamathawa" also lent to that inspiration, and my studies lent as a springboard for this piece. I wanted to portray just a bit of that majesty in a creature of the rainforests.

Watercolor and white gouache, 11X14 inches