What does it mean to be human? Why do we take great pains to think of ourselves as non-animal? As we live our lives outside of nature, how do we relate to nature?
These are the thoughts I had when creating these images. Each piece explores something of our humanness, sometimes in relationship to other humans, sometimes in relationship to nature or wild animals, sometimes both.
“Les Mots Juste”. 22″ x 30″. A woman in a flowering garden relates to a mirror image of herself, saying “The Right Words” while blessed and protected by scrub jays. In French one says “The Just Words”. Scrub jays, a native of the San Francisco Bay Area, are considered one of the smartest animals.“Now”. 22″ x 30″. She has been brutalized, but she is not beaten. The crows comes to her and help her gather her strength. She will not only survive, she will triumph.“She looked back one more time”. 16″ x 20″. She tried to walk away and only think of the future, but she couldn’t resist the impulse to look once more.“Raise Your Flag”. 16′ x 20″. Sometimes communicating across long distances does need to have words.“And such a long one too”. 16″ x 20″. A man wonders how he has come to have the tail of a tiger, which is a bit troublesome and unruly.“She”. 16″ x 20″. She is standing by the swimming pool naked, unashamed and unafraid .She’s about to start some mischief, so I’d leave now if I were you.“In the Garden”. She feels so free and alive her feet don’t even touch the ground. A hummingbird, sensing her joy, comes to greet her.“Mother and Daughter” (dyptich, two paintings 16″ x 20″. Reading is a shared joy that brings nurturing and understanding to these two. Even though they are each absorbed in their own books, they are highly aware and supporting of each other.
Sold artwork from this series
“To Wear Your Words Like a Second Skin” (sold). A woman sleeps in a field, covered by the words of her lover, listening to the roots. A deer observes her as the sun rises.
