Dictionary Deep-Dives

Label on back of artwork: Harmony implies a sense of wholeness. It means different, potentially conflicting elements need to find agreement in order to coexist. In nature there are so many examples of mutually supportive arrangements as well as systems that I might judge as unfair. But the balance in nature relies on an unbiased, non-dualistic, big-picture approach. All is One. And the Oneness of the All is in the Allness of the One.

Reflections during the creative process: The big image is a flower and all the parts of the flower are telling a story. And all the parts are made up of flowers. All-One-One-All.

The center has the four elements blended in Taoist harmony. The human figures are representing male & female, but with as little focus on gender stereotyping as possible. The rainbow of spheres surrounding the center represents the fullness and spectrum of gender and sexual expression.

The colors of the figures are traditionally used in Medicine Wheels* to denote the four directions. But I also considered how the colors have been used to describe skin color. I find that description limiting and over-simplified. I tried to represent the gorgeous complexity of cream, peach, pink, gold, tan, mahogany, chocolate—all the amazing varieties!–and literally tried to incorporate all those colors to some degree in each outstretched hand.

Sea anemones and clownfish are highly dependent on each other for their survival. The clownfish provides nutrients to the anemone, and the anemone provides the clownfish with protection and shelter. Meanwhile a shark is circling. . .without this predator, the balance of the ecosystem would be thrown off. There is also part of a coral reef depicted as a reminder that we humans must act in accord with the highest good of all beings, as our actions can drastically affect a place as foreign & removed from most of our daily lives as the deep blue sea.

I had no idea how many different kinds of worms make up the animal kingdom! The lowly worm—what would we do without them aerating the soil, ingesting matter and excreting pure fertilizer?! The roots, too, remind us that there is a whole world beneath our feet & plants we may step on routinely that can be our food and medicine. The dandelion alone—roots, leaves, petals—all beneficial. The Creator must have insisted on us having them near, for they are NOT to be rid of! Any sidewalk crack will do. The hawk waits and wonders hungrily about the robin as it sits in a tree with lichen: a complex life form that is a symbiotic partnership between two different organisms—a fungus and algae.

The zebra and oxpecker have a well-known mutualistic relationship with each other—a common sight to see are pictures of those amazing stripes with bird friends perched on top; removing parasites, getting a free lunch and transportation, warning the zebras of danger. . .possibly in the form of a lion lurking nearby. The migration of wildebeest means they must cross the Mara river. Their herd mentality is so strong that over a million creatures blindly blunder off the cliffs and into the river. Thousands perish by the predators in waiting, or they drown; their decaying bodies supporting the health and ecosystem of the river.

A bee’s bottom wriggles while it’s head digs into the inner petals of a sunflower. Both the bee & butterfly have a beneficial relationship to all the plants that rely on them to help with pollination. The delicate spiderweb threatens the fragile, immaculate wings of the butterfly. My heart aches with the beautiful, awesome, ephemeral, yet constant cycle of life and death. . .and life. Spirit in matter. I am heart-to-heart with my Mother. . .Nature.

How it was made: I designed the flower pattern, then scanned and printed it onto tracing paper. I sketched each image to fit in a petal, then placed the sketch under the tracing paper. When I roughed-out the sketch, I got out one of my favorite supplies: textured plates that either belonged to the set I had as a child (Fashion Plates!) or my brother’s set (Mighty Men and Monster Maker!). Colored pencils are perfect for the plates and some paint markers were used for highlighting details.

Label on back of artwork: Feeling that we are capable is an important human need–capable of making a difference. In small ways or large ways, (or ways we may not realize), we have some ability to do some thing that is ours to do. And in between the doing there is a space held for just being—still & listening to know what those things are.

Reflections during creative process: Depending on ability and what we feel called to do, we might be a powerhouse without knowing it—like the objects making up the figure–full of useful things. We show up, shake it up, get it there, get it done! We cook it up, dish it out, clean it up, and show we care. Keeping track, taking stock, fixing up or letting go. Shining a light, talking it through, sheltering together and making something new.

In between & within all the doing the figure carries a stillness, a centeredness and a peace of being—beyond the doing.

How it was made: I made an outline of a form in a meditative pose, then filled it with a collage of useful objects. I scanned & printed on drawing paper then blocked off the different sections of the background with painter’s tape—especially the rays of the sun and the roots grounding the figure. Next step was using a watercolor wash of the areas, then pastel chalk to soften and blend. Last step was using colored pencil to accentuate details and a paint marker for the stars.

Label on back of the artwork: This fragrant heart is bursting with the fullness of love. The scars left by the thorns are like a tattoo, telling the story of love being fully experienced—even the painful aspects; even the grief of needing to let go. Instead of fearing future loss, this heart chooses to grow wings. United eternally in love, it is boundless, light and free.

Reflections during the creative process: I worked on this after the back-to-back deaths of two beloved pets. How I felt when they were dying (and after their deaths) was as if a needle was piercing the fibers of my heart over & over again. That’s where I got the idea of a tattoo—it hurts while it’s happening, but maybe—hopefully–it’s creating an image that we’ll be grateful to have with us. Without love, there would be no grief. I like to think I’m going through life with stories being recorded in my heart space and nothing can take that away. They are now timeless & boundless and I’m letting them teach me how to fly. . .

How it was made: I used a simplistic model of an anatomically correct heart as a guide. I chose photos of roses taken from the yards of my loved ones now passed. The veins I imagined as branches with thorns—those are are raised in places via modeling paste, and otherwise I used paint markers & colored pencils. The wings are made of tin foil. I painted big sections of foil with a light covering of acrylic paint & then used a template of wings to get the sizes of the feathers right (cutting one feather at a time from the foil). I mounted the wings with Elmer’s glue on black card stock and filled in details with paint markers. Everything was mounted on blue card stock with a cloud pattern (white chalk pastel) that—I hoped—would resemble the sign for infinity.

Label on back of artwork: Life took a pretty dramatic turn in March of 2020. I’m sure everyone had their own unique experience, but no one was untouched—a truly global connection. This was my experience: inside and not able to bear looking out. Completely overwhelmed by the juxtaposition of a spring with threat, menace. . .and the barest possibility of silver linings.

Personal reflections during the process: This is a great example of how more than one word on a dictionary page caught my attention. Aside from “brood”, I was also caught up with the word “broken” during this time. Things seemed to be falling apart, including me—under the weight of the problems around me. The bus careening wildly, spewing exhaust , rumbling the windows and rattling my nerves. Who will be riding the bus? A lot of people who may have no choice; potentially living in overcrowded housing without means of making any of this more tolerable–only more dangerous.

Everything is brighter and more interesting & colorful outside but also a place to be feared. There’s people everywhere—like never before—everyone seems to be trying to make up for lost time by exercising madly. And here is a brave pregnant woman with her child. I can’t imagine how she is coping.

The snow fell deep and trampled my daffodils, but there are still signs of new life emerging. My neighbors wrote encouraging words on the sidewalk and I know I’m not alone.

I wanted to make a bronchial tree in the background and did some research on what this area of the body represents. From the book on Chinese Medicine, “Staying Healthy with the Seasons”:

“You can gloomily experience every breath or change in terms of what you’re losing; focusing on what you no longer have. Or you can be open and joyful, welcoming each breath and change in your life by looking toward the new experience and growth it will bring. When you dwell on the melancholy you are prone to lung ailments.”

So—ultimately I want to see myself in this picture– instead of despairing, as having a moment of prayer:that help will come to those who need it and this situation will bring all beings into greater alignment and harmony.

How it was made: I started with my camera on a tripod in self-timer mode to take the photo I used as a base. Then I pasted or colored everything else that wasn’t actually in the picture: the sidewalk and flowers, the bird’s nest, bus and figures. My favorite part was adding a picture of a robin I was able to take while it happened to walk through this part of the yard ( : I also enjoyed making it look like the glass was broken by using a white paint marker and a charcoal pencil. The bronchial tree is printed on tracing paper so it could be transparent and blend with the actual tree in my neighbor’s yard. And of course: the last thing I did was add the rainbow in the sky & silver to the clouds.

Label on back of artwork: On a journey to a long-hoped for destination, there may be set-backs, encouragement, confusion, despair, elation! Being “a traveler in search of a holy place” could mean changing notions of what successfully arriving means. Maybe the goal is less important than the steps taken. Each mindful moment could make the NOW moment the holy place that is sought after.

Personal reflections during the process: I knew I wanted to make a labyrinth when I chose this word. I was going through a time of really wanting to get somewhere specific in life, but also recognizing myself as a traveler of life each day. Just like a labyrinth—it is the whole journey that matters: beginning, middle and end. As I was working, my dog companion of 10 years began to show signs of illness and passed away unexpectedly within a few days. So the tone of the project changed. I was reading an old Irish tale of the origins of harps coming from the rib cage of a whale. I already thought the labyrinth design I made looked heart-shaped, and the thought of harps & harmony (from the Yin/ Yang symbol incorporated in the design) made me think of the concept of “heart strings”. When I thought of my Bella & our lives together & the change ahead, I wanted my heart to be played upon only to produce a song of love. The labyrinth has dark treacherous terrain, lonely windings, and frozen mountains to climb. It also has endless fields of flowers, soft grass and still waters. It is all one, and so big– only the hands of the Spirit of Love could hold it all.

How it was made: I started with designing a 7 circuit Labyrinth and then clipped different types of nature scenes from old calendars and magazines. I used tracing paper on one section of the labyrinth at a time, then placed the tracing paper sketch over the part of the calendar clipping I wanted and secured with tape before cutting. When all the calendar/ magazine pieces were glued down, I positioned the images of my hands to hold the labyrinth. I scanned and printed in black and white so I could make it the colors I wanted: follow the rainbow to find your way through the labyrinth!

Label on back of artwork: When enough sources of input come together—a flash of inspiration occurs. Receiving through our 5 senses and our intuition allows an idea to gain cohesion. The gears begin to turn and what was formless begins to manifest itself in the physical world.

Reflections during the process: I loved the idea of using a nautilus shell intertwined with the hand. The nautilus is one of many examples in nature of the golden ratio (for all of you interested in more info: https://www.goldennumber.net/nautilus-spiral-golden-ratio/) and how these concepts spark so much interest and imagination. The nautilus is an ancient sea creature that is associated with growth, renewal, expansion and order. The human hand in the picture has become one with these symbolic attributes and is the mechanism for the new beginning. . .to begin!

I wanted to use a consistent symbol to signify the 5 senses—one for each finger. I chose an apple because of its associations with wisdom. There is the rooted tree, solid and easy to touch, the fruit–deliciously sweet to taste, the beautiful design of the interior sections with a star in the middle—a mandala feast for the eyes. The fragrance of the blossoms in spring connects the idea of how our memory centers in the brain are closely connected with our sense of smell. And the sound of a bird as it rests in the sheltering branches of the apple tree—our ears as a source of understanding.

Coming out of the ether is a spiritual connection to the fingers and in the center of the palm there is an eye that represents our insight, intuition and inner knowing.

How it was made: I traced my hand to start and then sketched in the nautilus. I painted the background in watercolors sprinkled over with epsom salt to produce a starburst & textured effect. Most of the hand is done in colored pencil and the nautilus is chalk pastels & colored pencils. Oh—and I taped down the area of the background where the golden rays are using painter’s tape prior to painting. Then I applied glitter glue to these areas ( :

Label on back of artwork: In this life, food and medicine are literally under our feet

and something as unremarkable as a seed

carries infinite potential.

The more we receive with mindfulness

the offerings of life for our lives to continue

the more connected we know ourselves to be with all beings.

Our lives are also a gift for others to receive.

In the awareness of taking in and letting go,

there is a sense of cycles being complete and whole.

Label on back of artwork: Something shining and vivid can penetrate the gloom & lift the oppressive shroud of anxious uncertainty. Doing a small act—like lighting a candle or concentrating on a beautiful & wondrous creation–can shift our thinking. We begin to focus more on what is working splendidly. There is some order and glorious intelligence at work in life—maybe it can even make the backdrop of fear a beautiful thing.

Personal reflections during the process: When our 5 senses can no longer experience a form we thought was extraordinary, can we imagine the Spirit of the form? Perhaps it remains and is integrated—shining out in other ways we may still connect with. In this picture, the stump of a beautiful tree is all that my senses experience, but in my imagination, the Spirit of the whole tree remains & has become the center of my Medicine Wheel*. At times, a bird with brilliant feathers flies across my field of vision. Really stopping to explore how incredible they are—that they exist in all their exquisite details—makes me feel more stable & trusting of life.

Fear

It is OK to feel fear. But it’s not a place I want to linger long in. I imagine—as a dear teacher has suggested—I can practice turning the dial of fear down while I turn the dial of faith up.

How it was made: I started with a technique out of “The Power of your other Hand” by Lucia Cappaccione . Exploring the emotion of fear—how it feels in my body & then using my non-dominant hand to connect those sensations with acrylic paint on a canvas. That image was scanned on to paper, and chalk pastels were added over this scanned image. Another scan & some tinkering with contrast & exposure gave me the last print (on to heavy paper suitable for light washes of paint). Next came the sketch of the tree. I used Liquitex Basics modeling paste added to white acrylic for the bark & then pencil to fill in the ridges. The 12 stations of the Medicine Wheel* are represented by painted beads & the rainbow circle is watercolor paint and chalk pastels. The birds and lamps are stock images painted and glued. The leaves of the tree are sequins glued with regular Elmer’s glue. Other supplies used: Poca paint markers, colored glitter glue & iridescent white chalk pastel.

Label on back of artwork: Resting in a youthful state where life is treated with curiosity can help reveal the spaciousness of fresh possibilities. There is an allowing of ideas to come closer and be considered. In the clarity and purity of this state, one can act without pretense and make decisions only after carefully considering multiple points of view.

Reflections during the creative process: I created this the summer before the 2024 U.S. presidential election. I wanted to practice opening myself to other points of view. I was actively seeking information beyond my own beliefs and noticing feelings of threat I carry due to differences of belief. I wondered how understanding other people and the way they may feel threatened might help with empathy. I wondered if connecting with our differences on an individual basis might help us collectively to empathize and treat others with respect. How can I acknowledge fears while standing up for the rights of others? Are there fundamental differences in types and severity of threats between groups of people? Can we safely and honestly share our fears and listen to how another feels afraid?

I also was practicing Non-violent Communication (or needs-based communication) in my close relationships. It’s important to recognize when I am making assumptions based on a story I have in my head about someone else and what I’m assuming about their intentions. Instead, I want to be fully present & mindful to what is being shared. To quiet the chatter of my thoughts so there’s room for another perspective.

And in life—I want to recognize that there are options beyond the well-worn paths of my mind. As soon as I “know” something, I might be closing myself off to other ideas. Staying open and fresh in each moment is to be receptive, reachable and teachable. Being still–and allowing the spaciousness of unknowing–attracts all the ideas and considerations I need.

Please see the section on Medicine Wheels for the background inspiration for this piece.

Symbolism for each quadrant

Upper Right: The East, the morning (6:00AM-1200 noon), the Spring, the element of Water, the members of the Frog Clan (Cancer/Flicker, Scorpio/Snake, Pisces/Cougar), human life from age 0-25. This is where we begin anything with enthusiasm and boundless energy. This is Little Sister East’s energy of unbridled optimism, joy and faithful trust in the day. She is running eagerly and fearlessly toward the wonders ahead.

Lower Right: The South, the afternoon (12:00 noon-6:00PM), the Summer, the element of Earth, the members of the Turtle Clan (Taurus/Beaver, Virgo/Bear, Capricorn/Snow Goose), human life from age 25-50. This is where we act after deep consideration and dedicate ourselves to our chosen path. This is Brother Warrior South’s energy that is channeling Divine Order, Purpose & Will. He is looking deeply within; asking the big questions and listening carefully so he can determine right action.

Lower left: The West, the Evening (6:00-12:00 Midnight), the Autumn, the element of Air, the members of the Butterfly Clan (Gemini/ Deer, Libra/Raven, Aquarius/Otter), human life from age 50-75. This is where we take stock of life and recognize what is most precious to us, what we want our legacy to be, where we want to devote our remaining time. This is Grandmother West’s energy of compassionate care during times of change, challenge & transformative growth. She is looking around her to see the needs of others and in caring for them, she becomes one with them.

Upper left: The North, the late night (12:00 Midnight-6:00AM), the Winter, the element of Fire, the members of the Thunderbird Clan (Aries/Red-Tailed Hawk, Leo/Sturgeon, Sagittarius/Elk), human life from age 75-and up. This is where we come to terms with the lessons of life, offer all that we have learned and hopefully find acceptance and peace. This is Grandfather North’s energy of wisdom, grateful reflection, rest and rejuvenation. He is looking back and becoming a beacon of light.

The Wheel of Life never stops turning; it is constant progression from one moment to the next. But in the center is a still point where all the spokes of the wheel converge. Here All is One, Infinite and Eternal. This place is as accessible as the space between each breath and each beat of our heart. I rejoice that it is so. . .

Label on back of artwork: We are not solitary—We are a part of everything and everything is a part of us. What makes us each distinctly unique is the specific way we’ve been affected by the lives of our ancestors, the endless contributions of others, our connection to the natural world including all the animals, etc. Even the seasons and daily changes in weather affect how we appear. Being made up of all these things can remove us from ego constraints. I am neither superior nor inferior. I simply am.

Reflections during the creative process: I created this to express gratitude and recognize all that has contributed to my life. The outer quadrants represent the seasons & cycles of life as well as the elements of earth, fire, air and water. The rainbow ring has symbols of the many cultural contributions to humanity. The inner spiral holds animals that have had a big impact on me personally and mythologically. The 14 figures with their hands raised are my ancestors: parents, grandparents and great-grandparents.

I am both a creation influenced by all these forces and also a creator contributing to these forces. I am a part of all of life and all of life is a part of me. I acknowledge the blessings and challenges I’ve been given!

Also—when I was a little child in the early 1970’s, a favorite show was Sesame Street. I was able to experience loving, thoughtful and nurturing mother-figures who didn’t look like me—who weren’t white.

I felt loved by these women & absorbed the influence of aspects of black culture as positive and affirming.

In education, music, art, film; in speech & writing, inventions and spirituality–this figure also represents gratitude for all I’ve gained from the contributions of African-American role models.

Label on back of artwork: Using what no longer serves as compost or fuel to create something new; the old branches & leaves are supporting the new life of the saplings and creating warmth & light. Over time I can turn feelings of sadness into joy, embarrassment into compassionate understanding, despair into hope, shame or anger into forgiveness. I can find acceptance to embrace the cycles of life. Alchemy is the restorative, regenerative and redemptive nature of life’s upward growth.

Personal reflections during the process: I created this while doing a lot of work with Mary Grieco’s book, “How to Forgive Everyone and Everything”. I was noticing the almost miraculous sense of freedom and power that comes from leaning in to the pain around a person/ situation and actively working through it. Those really tough thoughts & feelings could be efficiently faced, expressed & released. The last step of sending love to myself and to the other person (in my heart) was especially healing. So, the image has a Halloween-like quality to it, because it IS dark and scary to enter into the realm of emotional pain. But I am not alone in the image, and ultimately, Alchemy is taking the garbage of life and using it to help me create a brighter today and tomorrow.

How it was made: I started with a 5X7 canvas board and painted the basics—the sky, ground & trees. I added a stock image of a dutch oven; cut & taped to canvas. I scanned this image & printed on heavy paper. Then everything was worked over with chalk pastels. The falling leaves are a combination of pastel dots & tiny bits of construction paper glued. There’s also glitter glue on the saplings & white pastel smoke rising from the “cauldron”.