Armadillo Shield Symbolic Gourd Necklaces and Totem Meaning

Animal Totem Art has been my focus for many years. With the majority of my creative inspiration coming from nature and the animal kingdom, there is a wealth of wisdom to be learned from them. My personal totem is the Lizard, who's lessons I have benefited greatly from over time.

Recently I was having a conversation with my wonderful Aussie friend, Nicole. Our talk grazed over spirituality, life lessons, and intuitiveness, as it often does. Late one night while in the midst of one our philosophical chats, Armadillo totem wisdom was sent to me. 

This was unusual, for armadillo has certainly never come to my attention.

The Armadillo is most known for it's shield of armor that he wears. This is his source of protection, with his underbelly (inner self) being his vulnerable area. When he feels danger near he will roll up into a tight ball and protect himself. In reflection for humans, the danger could be physical, emotional, mental, or even spiritual. I pondered over this little creature, visualizing him curled up in a ball...a circle.

I realized while talking with Nicole that for the past few weeks I had been wearing a particular gourd necklace.

It was one that my husband and I  had made, a circle disk made of gourd. The piece was simple and natural and when I wore it I felt a sense of strength and courage, and yes...protection. I was especially wearing it when I would go out to holiday gatherings and virtually everywhere in public. I pay special attention to what I adorn myself with when I am out, as I am very sensitive to the energy of others. How serendipitous that the armadillo and his symbolism was becoming more prevalent to me. 

Armadillos have sharp claws and are expert diggers. This would be symbolic of "getting to the root" of the matter. It is beneficial to know the underlying motivations and things unseen in situations. By being aware, we are able to use the protection ability more proficiently. We wouldn't want to ball ourselves up and protect ourselves from everything, for we might be missing out on a great love or opportunity. Learning when to protect ourselves and to what extent is the great lesson.

We decided to make more of these gourd pendants for others that may want to connect with the wisdom of the Armadillo. The are simple, earthy, and rustic.

 The pendants are made from gourd circle disks (symbolic shields) that were shaped and sanded by John. We then paint them different subtle color combinations allowing one to choose the color the resonates with them. The backs of the shields are painted black. A small silhouette of the armadillo is painted on them and our signatures underneath. This way, at any time that you need to remind yourself of the wisdom, you can just flip the shield over to see the armadillo. Small gemstones and glass beads adorn the shields to represent the richness of our spirits. They are strung on leather cord, vintage style copper, or bronze finish chains that have a rustic look, creating a unique earthy piece of jewelry.

Green Armadillo Shield Symbolic Totem Gourd Necklace
SOLD

 Copper Armadillo Shield Symbolic Totem Gourd Necklace
SOLD

Purple Armadillo Shield Symbolic Gourd Necklace with Blue Shells
SOLD

 Blue Armadillo Shield Symbolic Totem Gourd Necklace
SOLD

 Deep Blue Armadillo Shield Symbolic Totem Gourd Necklace
SOLD

Animal Totem Ornaments from Gourd and Wood

Well, my favorite time of year is coming up...Autumn, and a whole new set of inspirations begin to fill my heart. I love the crisp mornings, the new seasonal foods, apple cider, sweet breads, and the colors...oh the COLORS ! Of course as we all begin to enjoy the season and that "nesting" feeling starts to set in, we have thoughts for the holidays. 

Now is the time I start making some seasonal pieces, and especially ornaments. Since I like to work with natural elements, I create on primarily wood and gourd. Being in the Blue Ridge Mountains, I decorate with a woodland theme, and animal totems are rampant in my work. For those of you who have some of my decorations, you know the ornaments go fast. I have a little collection available now and wanted to share them with you, as I can't guarantee how many I will be doing this season.

Animal Totem Ornaments on Gourd and Wood by Jeanne Fry

You are welcome to message me requests for specific animal totems. Available now are: Lizard, Owl, Crow, Bear, Raccoon, Eagle, and Moose.

You can find them in our Artfire Shop in the "Animal Totem Ornament" category. You can follow the link here

Animal Totem Folk Art Ornaments on Wood and Gourd

"Unveiling of the Animal Totem Gathering" Animal Totem Gourd Mask

 

For the deep love I have for animal totems and their special meanings in our lives, I felt compelled to create a gourd mask that represented a few of my most admired ones. The creation is symbolic for the gathering of their energies and wisdom that they offer, including Heron, Crow, Deer, Hawk, Bear, Otter, Owl, Wolf, Lizard, and Dragonfly.

 

Animal Totem Gourd Mask "Unveiling of the Animal Totem Gathering"

 

"Unveiling the Animal Totem Gathering" was created to bring the energy of the animal totems to present, to learn from their symbolism, and remind one of their skills. The animals represented are Crow, Hawk, Heron, Bear, Otter, Dragonfly, Owl, Wolf, Lizard, and Deer. Their simple animal totem meanings are:
Crow: Manifesting, Magic, Creation
Heron: Graceful Transformation
Deer: Gentless, Grace, Nurturing
Otter: Happiness and Laughter in spite of the circumstances
Bear: Power, Decision Making, Healing
Dragonfly: Air and Water Element, Flight, Ariel Skills, Dance of Light
Hawk: Vision, Power, Seeking
Wolf: Community, Guardianship, Pack Oriented
Owl: Vision, Hunter, Omens, Wisdom
Lizard: Dreamtime, Intuition, Letting go of that which is not needed

 

 

 

Animal Totem Gourd Mask by Conscious Art Studios

"Unveiling of the Animal Totem Gathering" is an animal totem mask for wall display. The mask is created from a gourd which is shaped and cut and mounted on a wood plaque that measures 10 inches x 10 inches. The mask is painted with acrylics in burnt umber, turquoise, and tan colored and then detailed with animal totem silhouettes and tracks of the Crow, Heron tracks, Bear, Otter prints, Hawk, Dragonfly, Wolf prints, Lizard, and Owl. The mask was then sealed with a satin finish. A multitude of man created feathers were used to create the crown of the mask representing a number of bird totems. The plaque was painted in burnt umber with tan colored designs and has a hanger installed on the back for display purposes. The piece in it's entirety measures 14 inches x 14 inches.
This piece is to be shipped double boxed to protect the feather work and will be insured.

 

If you would like to acquire this special piece you can view it's listing here in my Artfire Studio

Unveiling of the Animal Totem Gathering Mask



The Birth of the Gourd

Gourds have been with us for at least 10,000 years, and it's uses are as diverse and wide as it's evolution. Native to Africa, they spread rapidly throughout the world. 

Gourds have been and continue to be transformed into musical instruments, drums, birdhouses, bowls, bottles, baskets, masks, rattles, jewelry....the possibilities are endless. They are known as nature's pottery, and are probably my most loved medium to create with.

The amount of work that goes into a creation is time consuming when you take into consideration the growing cycle, harvest, drying cycle, and cleaning before you ever get to the actual fun part of turning it into a work of art. Once finished, it provides a sense of completion like no other.

Bird Clan Gourd Mask

Gourdwork by Jeanne Fry

Healing Hands Gourd Art Bowl

Sun Salutations Gourd Art Doll

Kachina Gourd

                                                ConsciousArtStudios - ArtFire Artisan Studio