When I began this painting almost a month ago, I didn't know that it would turn out this way.  I typically begin a painting with a color palette that I like, usually earth tones with some blues thrown in.  I move the paint around and implement different techniques that I've developed over the years. Sometimes magic happens.  Mythical creatures appear.  Sometimes I just scrape the canvas and try again if I don't see potential.  There were some things that I liked and things I didn't like about this painting.  It intrigued me though.  I let it dry and came back to it several times reworking some of the areas that I wasn't happy with.  When I created the mouth of the dragon, it didn't look anatomically correct.  Then I saw the snake.  The fun creatures down at the bottom only spoke to me and I brought them out with some embellishments.  I haven't sealed it yet.  There is a fine transparent 24K gold finish over the entire painting.  Whoever chooses this painting, I will give the customer a choice of resin; matte or glossy varnish finish.  

A magical fire breathing dragon carries the earth mother in her belly protecting it with a ferocity that only a mother can.  

Chinese astrology - The dragon and snake are compatible in relationships.

In Eastern cultures, the Dragon is represented as a highly intelligent serpent-like creature without wings. They can be either benevolent or malevolent. In symbolism, Dragons represent luck, power and strength.

“The forms the dragon takes–the artistic conventions that guide a particular culture to represent the biologically based beast in sculpture, painting, oral lore, and so on–are learned in a particular social grouping at a particular time. 

They will evolve on their own, not as a changing dragon but as changing artistic conventions. The inability to perceive the dragon as a biologically based creature with a great variety of styles of presentation has caused confusion among most dragonologists. 

The images of the dragon are not the dragon. Not acknowledging this is like attempting to box in the shadow of a tree as the sun runs its daily course, not understanding that the tree, not the shadow, is the crucial element in the shifting shapes on the lawn.” (Jones, P. 49)