Reading Pictures: The story behind the Nkisi & the promises we keep...

 In the rich tradition of art through the ages, our pieces have a language of symbolism. Like say, Medieval paintings or tapestries, our work often has representational or allegorical meaning if you know how to 'read' the storybook 'language of art.'   Here is an example:

NKISI

When Joe gave me a piece of tenderly burned, oxidized wood with careful rows of nails, it reminded me very much of a tradition in central Africa, the nkisi. Historically,  nkisi is a statue, or 'power figure' with great spiritual significance in the cultures there.

A ritualistic function of the nkisi nkondi is that a nail is driven into it when an agreement, or oath has been made.

I was inspired to add a lion, which is representative of Africa and is commonly symbolic of courage. For me, the combination of these two represents discipline, because discipline is the courageous act of keeping promises to yourself over and over again.


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Nkisi - Congo - Art Institute of Chicago

More info at: http://www.xculturearts.com

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Off-balance Artists Strike Again

 I've been busy sketching as we prepare for our Outside the Box solo show at the Dole Mansion this April...This is a piece in progress features two creatures from the north: a Flicker Woodpecker & a girl of Irish descent. (Guess I'm sensitive to being a yankee at the moment, since it's so cold!)

The woodpecker historically has been considered a symbol of 'divine work', connection to the spiritual and, in general, of awareness. (One reason the figure is meeting our stare.)

My original sketch (Yes, sometimes I sketch my sketches first - how crazy is that?) actually featured two identical birds, each on either side of her head. This is because woodpeckers have also been considered a symbol of balance.

In the end, I decided to make it a contradiction of terms by having only one bird because that sort of thing amuses me. I know. I have a quirky sense of humor... and because awareness and focus on the spiritual tends to give me a hyper sense of focus that feels anything but balanced!

Meanwhile, Joe has been busy balancing his own work - a madly, curvaceous solo piece that looks like he's doing 'fine art Jenga' as he creates it. (more on that later)  Can't wait to see plans Joe has for this drawing. His assemblage will make it truly complete!             


Getta Cuppa Joe!

Cook Street Coffee

Now through mid - February, the artboxes will be at Cook St. Coffee in downtown Barrington. A portion of any sales now through Feb from this show will go to Willow Creek's C.A.R.S ministry, which helps area single moms have safe, reliable transportation.

Cook Street is a great, cozy place to get fair trade "coffee ands". (In Joe's family, it's unthinkable to serve coffee alone. You have coffee 'and a danish', so we refer to this as 'coffee ands'.)  Cook St. Coffee locally owned, so if you go there, you get to treat yourself while supporting independent businesses near & far.

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