Ermida de Mae de Deus

By Bryan Garaventa

"Ermida de Mae de Deus" is an imagined interpretation of the small hilltop chapel overlooking Ponta Delgada in the Azores, inspired by autumn visits and vivid verbal descriptions of the landscape during passing Atlantic storms. The work balances grandeur and intimacy: dramatic skies and distant rain contrast with the quiet stillness of the chapel overlooking the city below. The composition reflects the emotional character of the Azores itself - beautiful, unpredictable, and deeply connected to memory, nostalgia, and generational experience.