Goodie Goodie: Martina, it seems that your time spent in Cadaques, Spain had quite an affect on your decision to become the artist you are today.   Is there some sort of "Old Masters" artistic energy there that may be missing from other parts of the world?  Does Colorado or other familiar places have a different effect?   If so, do you think it's due to an uneven distribution of cosmic energies on the surface of the planet…i.e. power spots?

MH: Cadaques is a power spot for sure and a magical place that has attracted an interesting cosmopolitan mix of people over the past century. This is mainly attributable to Salvador Dali's presence. He visited this tiny fishing village on the Mediterranean regularly during his childhood and finally made it his home as a young adult. Artists and great visionary minds such as Picasso, Einstein, Walt Disney, the Beatles, Phillip Glass, just to mention a few, have flocked to Cadaques in order to honor the great Dali, and some never left after that initial visit and stayed to become part of the colorful mix of 'extraneros' in town. One of these people is my partner, Robert Venosa, who came to see Dali and stayed for 17 years. When I first arrived in Cadaques he was still living there, and fate brought us together on Beltane morn in the wee hours of May 1st. The rest is a very special part of my personal history.
Geographically Cadaques is located by the seashore surrounded by the Pyrenees Mountains. Nature is very powerful: strong winds alternate with the balmiest weather possible. The atmosphere in town is very cultured, but raw and hedonistic at the same time; an invigorating mix of energies. The witches used to congregate in Cadaques in the middle ages, and ancient alters present in the rugged cliffs surrounding the town bear witness to this.
Colorado has a very different energy entirely. First of all, it's all earth and air, no water to speak of. And while I find the natural energy here to be equally powerful, and very spiritual, there seems to be a lack of that bohemian flair and Mediterranean magic that attracts me so deeply to Cadaques. But I guess that everybody gravitates towards different energetic fields, and I do enjoy both places for very different reasons.

Goodie Goodie: Could you comment on the dynamic of living w/ another great artist (Robert Venosa). Do you work on pieces separately or in same space?

MH: It is truly a gift to be living with another artist as Robert and I understand the dynamics of creation and don't stand in each other's way when we feel the need to focus on the work deeply, even at ungodly hours. Our studios are next to each other, connected by a doorway that remains open at all times. We also share our sound system, and vibe to the same music while creating, with music being an important part of the 'setting' aspect in our studios.
However we work independently and are each other's best critics. It is priceless to have another being that loves you more than most people, and be absolutely honest with you in regards to your creative expression. We feed off each other's energy and enjoy creating independently while sharing a fascination with the visionary element in art.

Goodie Goodie: During the January 2004 Art & Ayahuasca retreat in Brazil did any particular vision or artistic break through come about?

MH: Let's see, which vision should I describe to you? These experiences are so rich and tightly packed with visuals that each journey easily provides enough painting inspiration for a lifetime. As far as inspiration goes, I'm enthralled by the deep infinite layers that the sacred space provides, and I've enjoyed attempting to reproduce the luminosity of colors as well as the space that one enters during the journeys. It is a personal breakthrough each time and results in discoveries that have enriched my creative work deeply.

Goodie Goodie: Are the usual attendees advanced visual artists or do you get the occasional hardcore psychonaut w/ a copy of True Hallucinations in their back pocket? Any young talented artists we should be keeping an eye on?

MH: The participants bring a range of skills to our painting classes and come from all walks of life. So we have welcomed the stressed businessman who needs to take his mind off the rat-race, the dabbling or accomplished artist who wants to delve deeper into the 'Misch Technique', as well as the devoted psychonaut who is looking for a creative method and technique through which to express his visions. There are great talented new artist out there: Kris Kuksi, a painter from Kansas is one of them. In the psychedelic vain you might enjoy seeing the digital works of Android, an Australian artist from Melbourne. But there are many more, and it is an absolute pleasure to see real young talent keeping the long tradition of visionary art alive.

Goodie Goodie: Did you experience any visions (or healings) during your pregnancy or birthing due to the breath work involved (I'm assuming that you've given birth and this question is relevant ;)?  If so, did you find it hard to hold on to and manifest?

MH: I never gave birth, but have been a mother to Robert's daughter, Celene. So I would not be able to answer these questions from direct experience. However, having been present at a birth, and knowing about the powerful effects on the observer, I can imagine what it must be like to physically go through this process. But in the end all traumatic experiences are the ultimate journey to propel us along in our spiritual growth.  Giving birth is one of the huge opportunities to access the gate to higher consciousness, and any awake women will attest to this.

Goodie Goodie: If been told that you consider the Goddess Triangle (a multimedia installation encompassing painting, sculpted elements, and sound) to be one of your greatest masterpieces to date.  That the women depicted are the modern-day-Goddesses, and the Goddess Triangle explores the similarities that they share with ancient goddess?

MH: The Goddess Triangle is by far my most extensive piece and took me two years to complete. All women depicted in this piece were first-time mothers, and I tried to portray their very different experiences and journeys into the process. I was very taken by watching their bodies change into the likeness of Paleolithic and Neolithic earth Goddesses, and, in sharing their emotional experiences, I was fascinated by this new saintly beauty that each one of them seemed to turn into. In becoming more aware of this most selfless contribution that women make to humanity, I discovered the sacred in the act of bringing forth life. And this discovery was deeply transforming for me. It changed the way in which I perceived the 'sacrifices' that are involve in becoming a mother and gave a new meaning to my idea of service. For most of human history this essential female contribution has been taken for granted, so the 'Goddess Triangle' is my altar and tribute to the female principle and to all women who have chosen the path of motherhood to ensure our continued existence.