During my safari to the Philadelphia Zoo (click on the zoo link to find out more about Maya and friends) in March 2011, I visited the snow leopards and polar bears!

As I watched, Maya, the snow leopard, I was mesmerized by her spirit! So after sketching and taking photos, I came back to my Studio Nookery and created this piece, entitled, “Maya’s Spirit” (14″x 12″- Mixed Media/Paper) She is a part of my “Animal Totem” Series.

There are many cultures that have myths and legends where animals are the main characters or play an important role in teaching important life lessons. Animal Totem characteristics for Snow Leopard are: Sensitivity, Agility, Strength and Mystery.

Life, itself is a journey, as we travel through it, we gain the knowledge and tools to make it our own unique safari! Peace to you and yours.

So far, so good, I will be unbearable around 7:00PM, but I’m hoping to last until 8:00PM and then I will go to bed for the evening. I’m looking forward to going back to my regular schedule of  5:30AM to 10:30PM.

This reverse schedule usually happens when I stay up too late, painting!  I get  excited over some aspect of the painting, I’m working on, I pull an all-nighter.  :)

This was particular piece was created around 3:00AM, this morning.  I think I was dreaming with my eyes open. I remember seeing a quick glimpse of a beautiful face with a turban on her head, and then she disappeared in a sea of color!

I know this has something to do with my goddess series, but this goddess, decided I was too tired to give her a proper welcome, so she did not fully materialized! I hope this goddess comes back. But for now, she’s a mystery and this painting is a puzzle to figure out.

On another note, it’s Friday again, freezing cold and icy outside, but instead of staying in and enjoying the warmth, I’ll be bundling up and going for a brisk walk. Maybe I’ll see my next painting out there, but then again, it may just be a walk to keep me awake!

Have a great weekend and get out if you can, cold weather lets you know you’re alive!

Peace to you all.

It is done! What began as night pacing (see my December 6, 2009 blog post); has culminated into the finale.

I am now in that stage where the crescendo has ended. I have the feeling of not being anchored; I am adrift, until I delve into the next project.  Of course, I’ll sketch and create, but it is a different energy than being possessed by a painting screaming to get out!

Sometimes the best way to describe the creative zone, would be mania, crescendo, then an anti-climatic feeling sets in, finally a sadness that it’s over; and then peace,

but…then it starts all over again.

Remember to nurture your body, mind and spirit and being adrift may mean letting go of control.

I want to thank you all who continue to support me, I feel loved. Peace to everyone.

(Mixed-Media/paper – “O’s Totem” – 22″x30″ Copyright 2010 Indigene)

]]> http://indigeneart.com/2010/02/12/wip-completionset-adrift-again/feed/ 33 http://indigeneart.com/2009/07/05/shaky-if/ http://indigeneart.com/2009/07/05/shaky-if/#comments Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:06:10 +0000 Indigene http://indigeneart.com/?p=619

Shaky = tending to shake or tremble; liable to break down or give way.

Two weeks in a row, the IF prompt has hit home! Ahhh…the irony, of it all.

Right now, with limited time and very blocked artistic ability, I thought of the epitome of shakiness… blocks. The precariousness of them, much like life! The joy of playing with blocks and the scariness of them falling over. Child’s play is often a metaphor for life.

This week, let’s play, because life is shaky enough. Peace.

This was originally going to be a drawing of a Mama Polar Bear and her Baby Cub, just a little animal instinct, and lo and behold, I fell asleep with the local news on after watching a nature documentary so…

(figure study for Bear Series (there will be no guns in the series!)

I awakened, with a question, so if you leave comments, I will read them to listen for some answers.  Here goes…

Human instinct is supposedly more colorful in its width and depth than any other being. Many humans are taught to believe that this instinct is a combination of curiosity, the need to interact, analysis, our insistence on freedom, creativity, interest, synthesis, innovation and sexual curiosity.   This is what makes us seemingly more intelligent.

Humans have also been taught that animal instinct is only limited to self preservation, movement, interaction and procreation.

With all of these amazing gifts, human are endowed with …would someone, please tell me why…there is the urge among humans to prey upon trusting, smaller, vulnerable, passive,  unsuspecting, innocent, beautiful, fortunate, unfortunate, four-legged, two-legged, furry, bald, fascinating, boring, sweet, physically challenged, hearing-impaired, old, young, blind, healthy, ugly, peaceful, happy, unhappy, cherished, loved, unloved……?

Peaceful dreams!

When I’m creating, I’m usually in the “zone” as my family calls it! So, in the zone, intense vivid colors catch my attention. So there are very few pale colors in my portfolio at any time. This piece was used for my banner on my first blog.

This piece created some time ago, is my ode to pale pastel colors.

I like creating in black and white first (either graphite or pen) and then color is built upon that. Many times, I will leave parts of the image in black and white, generally it’s the face and I add color to the background or the clothing. It’s a style preference for me, but it is also, my experience of how many people view others, in terms of black and white, yet we can see the landscapes surrounding people in brilliant colors! So my motto and artistic statement, is “Illuminating the black and white of life in vivid color”

Anyhow, this is a pale, playful piece for me, Pale to me is pastel colors and polar bears. But, I like living my life in full vivid colors! Peace

There are so many ways that people are similar, but unfortunately we have created a history of focusing on negative differences. Maybe…hopefully, in the USA, we are now focusing on the similarities and celebrating all our differences.

Oh I am so wishing for this New Year in the United States of America!   Peace.

- Having someone wake me before I’m ready to wake up!

- Waking my daughter up before she’s ready to wake up!

- Unrealistic deadlines!

- Not being able to create a brand new illustration for Illustration Friday!

Oh, believe me the list is long this week, since pet peeves have kept me from posting my illustration earlier. This little image is from one of my journals, since I could not find the time to create a new entry for this week! I knew this image summed up what I’m missing, SLEEP…Ah! Another pet peeve…the lack of…

Happy Thursday Everyone!