In the last couple of years I have been working to discover my archetypes and along the way I have discovered that I have an animal guide for each of the elements; air,water,earth and fire.
I have talked before about my polar bear, she is my animal guide for Earth. You will remember the photo I printed on silk is full of shadows and hints of snow. The bear’s stride showing nothing but confidence and she is a wise teacher for she shows us how to survive the harshest conditions. You can see the finished piece in making August 28/22.
My guide for Air is a hawk. She was discovered when I enlarged a tiny abstract painting sample I had done and which I altered the colours of in photoshop. I simply liked the colours so printed it out. The next day looking at it on my desk I flipped it and found the hawk gliding out of a rather stormy looking sky. I was particularly struck because at that time I was gearing up to travel to the UK to help my daughter with her new baby,during the first year of the COVID lock down.
My animal guide for water ,after much thought and research is an Octopus. She is secretive, independent , curious and able to glide smoothly enjoying going with the flow.
This one was a really fun photoshop alteration. I used a photo taken of me while snorkeling my one and only time in Costa Rica. I enhanced the colour and swirled my arm to create an octopus curl. Her body glows secretly just off the left hand side of the photo.
My last animal guide is for Fire and she is the Arctic Fox.
This one I embroidered with silk thread on a painted cotton background and she has just been finished. I haven’t decided yet how or if to frame her but I love looking at her thoughtful face and those eyes won’t let me get away with any nonsense.
