We arrived at the island, by barge, late Thursdy night. The next afternoon, at a large community parade honoring Maria Felipa, the slave who led the uprising to drive the Portuguese from Itaparica, I met and was given permission to photograph the first Bahiana I met, an elderly woman named Viulma. We all joined the parade, dancing and drinking into the evening. When I returned to my studio I uploaded Viulma's photos, unfolded a large folio from my torn copy of O Brasil, and created my first drawing in Bahia. The next morning, revieing my intuitie piece by light of day, I began to see how these pages of Brazil's Colonial history were a perfect format for the Bahianas' portraits....

Dona Rosa was one of the first Bahianas I met - a small woman of great power and mischief, a daughter of Yansan, the orixa of wind and commerce, the one who guides over to the Other Side. On my final day in Itapaprica, Dona Rosa came over and gifted me with her sacred elekes (beaded necklace) dedicated to Yansan, to protect me.

There was something very strong and magnetic in Conceicao's visage. Her portrait grew to an epic size - so much so that the workmen across the road paused to admire it through my window. Conceicao heard about the portrait and came to see what it was all about. I had no idea how she would respond, but she bent over, clapped her hands, laughed, and clapped her hands to her face, then she hugged me, nearly crying, and we gave each other kisses. She was very pleased, and so was I....