Over a year ago, shortly after my last post, I had an accident – a surrealistic experience in which my shoe caught on a rug. The shoe, a flip-flop, stopped dead. I didn’t. With an energy that seemed all out of proportion, I flew across the room into a solid cypress door. The impact split the humerus bone in my left arm vertically into two blade-like pieces. My right kneecap cracked when I hit the floor.
That’s my excuse for being so long away. I hope you’ll agree that it’s a fairly good one. I’m very much better now, if not completely healed, and back in the studio working. Today is my birthday, so it just seemed like a good time to finally revisit my blog.
Artwise, I’m working on several new Western-themed pieces in anticipation of a submission to an upcoming exhibition. I have until May to get the pieces finished, which may seem like a lot of time, but isn’t really.
Above is one of the paintings I’m working on — Mitakuye Oyasin – a 30″ X 40″ birch panel done in the style of a plains Indian painting on hide. Mitakuye Oyasin, is a Lakota phrase that translates as All My Relations. Its meaning is a prayerful acknowledgement of the interconnectedness of all life on Mother Earth. The animals depicted represent the two-legged (bears who often walks on hind legs are considered akin to the two-legged humans), the four-legged, (horses and buffalo), and the winged (ravens.)
So far, the horses make me smile. And I’m really happy with how closely I was able to match the painted background to the actual hide that I will be using for a planned three-dimensional element.
Now, if only the buffalo will cooperate.
