Living by the Circle

When you view my artwork, notice that there are many circles throughout. They symbolize our connection to the universe, Father Sky and remind us of the way of life of the Native people. To live by the circle is to give something back when something is taken. This maintains balance. If we continue to take from the Earth and not give back, we will continue to create imbalance upon the earth, as we see all around us. To live by the circle is to live in balance. Even if it is just a thought, the energy of giving back is still present. If we pick food from a garden, we say a prayer of thanks to give back. It's the missing piece in the Western world.

This piece is called "First Feather". It is the story of how eagle feathers are taken with the Dine'h nation. We do not kill the eagle, but capture them, honoring them for 4 days while a few feathers are taken. The eagle is released and the first feather taken is given back to the earth, buried. This is done as an offering the Mother Earth, thanking her for the blessings that come from the feather. Here you see Mother Earth holding her feather. The patterns around her are called confort patterns, which remind us of the comforts that the Earth gives us.

This piece is available for purchase as a giclee archival print on my art website at http://www.ndn-artist.com/