Sunday, August 26, 2012

Dream medicine series, first installment

This work is from the last month of my time on the Spes Bus (lokithespacebus.blogspot.com) and has been keeping me grounded as I rearrange plans for an individual trip in the upcoming months.   I've been day and night dreaming some intense visions of animals, art forms, and landscape all of which feel tribal and old to me.  These images have been an impetus for and a reflection of a recent exploration into animal medicine from several tribal traditions; various native american groups, pacific islanders, and the maya all have left rich mythologies that teach a strong relationship between people, animals and habitat.  Many stories illustrate how one may learn skills and solutions from careful observation of animals and the earth's cycles that apply to surviving and thriving in our communities and individual lives.  People make sense of and navigate their lives by finding, or creating, meaning of all that we can sense.  A snake may shed its skin to cleanse itself of parasites and allow for physical growth, but for a long time humans have included this process as an important metaphor in our own mythology.  A reminder to allow parts of ourselves to die when they no longer serve us, and to revel in the fresh energy, or rebirth, the letting go of things kindles.  As I seek to apply this method of learning to my own life, I realize that seeing animals and ecosystems as teachers directly impacts my ability to nurture and live in respect of my environment.  So this tradition becomes a cycle of sustenance, reminding me that self-sustenance and sustenance of my environment are not separate, but co-dependent.

These pieces, and eight others which are not yet finished, will be for sale towards the end of the year, if you are interested in keeping one.  They are 8 inches by 8 inches, made with watercolors, india inks, and archival pen.

Night serpent (8"x8", watercolor and ink on bristol).  200$ (available for purchase during/after Little Dog show Feb 2013)

 Bird Doctors (8"x8" watercolor and ink on bristol). 200$ (available for purchase during/after Little Dog show Feb 2013)

Hive Home (8"x8" watercolor and ink on bristol). 200$ (available for purchase during/after Little Dog show Feb 2013)


Back to the Web (8"x8" watercolor and ink on bristol). 200$ (available for purchase during/after Little Dog show Feb 2013)

8 comments:

  1. Great work Jackie. Would be interested in buying the Bird Doctors when you put them up for sale.
    -Chris

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    1. Chris I will reserve this one for you in the meantime, thanks for your interest and for looking at my work! Good to be in touch. Hope you and the family are well.

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    1. You did!!! They've made it all the way from the floor in Asheville to my parent's house in Brunswick, ME. Phew.

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  3. Nice work Jackie!! I love the style and how you incorporated the animals. : D

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    1. Thank you deary! Where are you living now? Is your music going well?

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  4. I LOVE these they are so powerful. Dreamscapes makes me enter a dream world... with ponies and puppies, trees and snakes

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    1. Thanks, Kyle :) I hope you are seeing as much dream and power in your own corner of the world right now!

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