A WAY OF LIFE
 
Acrylic on textured canvas
16” X 20” x 2 ½”
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One of the things I’ve always loved about Hopi is their way of life and the pride it instills in the children. I didn’t grow up on Hopi so I can’t claim this for myself, however, as a child, I envied what I saw out home when we went to visit. I grew up in Flagstaff and for a brief time in Phoenix. Everywhere I went I saw drawings, paintings, and crafts hanging that were made by the children. Even now, Mothers continue to display their child’s work in their offices, around the house, and even on their car mirrors for the world to see. This practice isn’t a competition showcasing their “most gifted child”, just an expression of the child’s world, their spiritual upbringing, and their learning about the history of their people. In addition, they are learning about the many, many symbols that representing our connection to Mother earth, sustainability and the awareness of spirituality in their daily life.  
                                                                                                                                                                              Capturing this as a painting is an area that I hope to explore in contemporary art. My paintings no longer represent the exact portrayal of Katsinam as mostly sought after by the collectors, but a conglomeration of traditional symbols in abstract combinations. I am enjoying this direction, but am not the first to employ these techniques.