Examples Of Art Work

“Interdependence”….moose needs wolf to survive as much as wolf needs moose.

Fish design on door at Tea-N-Bannock.

Paddle I made….then painted….”Keeping Faith”.

Feather box made then painted.

Drum painted for Bear clan friend.

“Northern Nights”

Couple of studies….works in progress.

Buffalo drum for young friend.

Another painting done….on 16″ X 20″ canvas….called “Bear Spirit”.

I wanted to do something in support of Christi Belcourt’s Walking With Our Sisters project (I wasn’t able to get any vamps beaded in time). So I want to donate a painting….through the Auction for Action site….one based on the Walking With Our Sisters.

So I sketched out a canvas….with a large Monarch butterfly at the heart of the canvas….against a background of various Anishinaabe floral …designs (similar to ones I saw on several of the vamps created for Christi’s art project)….but not in any particular order; more one of random nature….in a bit of chaos….like our day – to – day lives can be sometimes….or more so the effect on the families and friends of the missing and/or murdered women….it can definitely create grief….upset….emptiness….even chaos….violence against women in our community can also cause discord.

So I wanted to show that with effort and work….increased awareness & education….we can rise above such chaos and discord….fly free.

The lower right hand side includes symbols that I learned from the late Anishinaabe artist Norman Knott and have adapted for myself….the outer circle represents the physical body….the inner one the spiritual….the inner one is repeated above the butterfly standing on its own….this represents that the physical may die, but the spirit never does, it always remain.

This painting is called “Free Flight”. It is on a canvas 11″ X 14″. The attached photo show the work just finished….hopefully good enough to elicit some interest….and add to the funds being raised for this very important event: Walking For Our Sisters. (NOTE: The winning bid on this painting was $145.)

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“Sticking Your Neck Out”, what leadership means to me.

Leadership:

When one thinks of leadership, one can be reminded of watching a V-formation of geese in flight.

The lead goose is sticking its neck out to break the air currents for the rest of the flock, thereby making it easier for the others to fly (as they “draft” in behind).

But if you watch that V-formation long enough, you’ll see that the lead goose will eventually fall back and another one will come up to take its place.

So a good leader will stick its neck out for whoever is following, setting a good example for the others.

But also a good leader knows when to let another lead, when to let others have a chance.

Painting for my partner Jenny Blackbird’s birthday,  ”Flight of Fantasy”.

Wedding gift for Jenny’s cousin, “In Unison”.

“Turtle Island/Mother Earth/Mother and Child”….acrylic on 16″ X 20″ canvas

A very quick study done on a canvas board….from sketching to painted in less than 5 hours….came up with the idea thinking of a certain Ma’iingan (wolf) kwe I walk with….who is a jingle dress dancer….I’m planning a larger canvas based on this soon.