Sunrise on Sacred Lands - Visionary Folk Art by Jeanne Fry

Being fully connected with something bigger than yourself....when every moment of your being breathes in sacredness, effortlessly....when one is committed to living consciously....These are the feelings that I wanted to portray in my newest painting, "Sunrise on Sacred Lands".

As an original piece of Visionary Folk Art, it speaks of the spiritual soul on their journey.

The native woman's connection with Mother Earth is shown by her waking from her sleep, lying nestled in  the rolling hills as if they were warm woolen blankets. Her frame drum is her pillow, referencing her connection with the heartbeat of life and ability to stay in the present moment. She is encompassed within the lightning bolt path (energy) that leads her to the Tree of Life and seasons of her spirit. 

The Turtle Totem (symbolic of Motherhood) is shown climbing the tree, watching over Earth's children. The majestic Eagle can be seen flying over the water and through the glow of the sunrise. Its importance here, for Creation and the evolution  of the Soul.

Faint tribal designs, like etchings, can be seen blended into the background, it subtlety like the wisdom we carry...engrained in our blueprint from our ancestors. And lastly, the prayer feathers standing in the soil next to the woman...for her morning prayers and gratefulness. 

As she wakes  she is aware of All this, soaking in every detail and thankful for her part in it.

Sacred Mountains, a Painted Gourd Ceremony Rattle Symbolic for Grounding, Balance, and Connection

Our newest Painted Gourd Ceremony Rattle is titled "Sacred Mountains". It is an honoring of the life force of the mountains. Its symbolism represents the ability of being Grounded and Balanced on an earthly level, while at the same time the mountains allow one to be closer to the Sun, the Moon, the Heavens, and Spirit. This blend of being more fully connected with the Earth and the Sky, (Self and Spirit), fosters our intuitive senses and  heightens a trust in our "knowing". Our balanced self becomes a better listener, to our own inner guide and of our guardians.

The gourd rattle was painted to reflect the mountains, the layers of Earth graduating from the deeper browns until they meet a terracotta. The tip of the gourd brings in a teal blue, symbolic for the Sky. A beautiful Pink Agate is attached at the tip of the gourd rattle, symbolic for strengthening intuition and compassionate relationships with Self and Others.

Sweet Dreams from the Ancestors - Gourd Art

Fear.

Fear seems to continue to be commanding life as we know it, and affecting so many tender spirits. After a while it changes who you are, how you think and make decisions, and how you relate to others. There are so many violent and bullying acts, oppression, and intolerance, and Fear always seems to be involved. It's a tough world out there, but it is also a very beautiful one. Sometimes we have to remind ourselves to break it down to ....taking One Day at a Time.

Those days of struggle are what inspired my newest gourd art creations, "Sweet Dreams". 

I wanted to create a reminder, a new focus, a little piece of mind....an artwork that would remind you at the end of the day that everything is going to be okay. That you are loved. That you are cared for. And that tomorrow is a New Day.

She bids "Sweet Dreams", bringing wishes of a healing respite while you sleep and building your strength for the new day.

Working with the Otter Totem for the New Year

There's not enough Happiness in the world today. Yes, there are pockets of people who are happy or at least content, but if you truly look around......there is such a huge amount of sadness, stress, anger, and negativity. Wars, hate crimes, bullying, and violence spill over our communities and touch us all. These atrocities are not just happening across the oceans, but are right here in our sights.  Sometimes you never know how close.....like the girl in the coffee shop who is frustrating you by making you a latte when you asked for a cappuccino. While you get stressed that you're going to be late for work, she hurriedly starts over, while her mind keeps flashing back to the beating she endured from her husband the night before. Or the boy who lives next door, the trouble maker on the block...while his parents stand over him, screaming at him for breaking the neighbor's windows, his mind is somewhere else thinking of the bully at school who embarrassed him to tears in front of their classmates.

Our hearts, souls, and our Earth are all being affected by this.

Our happiness has to begin with ourselves, so we can then spread that light to others. What better animal totem to learn from but the Otter.

The Otter represents a pure joy. Their character is one of curiosity and living in the moment. Even though they have work to do, they are able to infuse their playfulness and make those times full of smiles. They tackle each action as if it is the first time, symbolic of Life being an Adventure. The Otter emits Happiness, changing the energy of those around them. Everyone could learn from the Otter's wisdom.

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Root Bound No More - Space Clearing for the Soul

When the seasons arrive, each have their own special meanings in our hearts. They conjure up memories, urge us to look at the past and the present, and prepare us for different phases of our growth. When Fall arrives I feel myself go into a "nesting" mode, instinctively getting ready for the Winter's "inward" time. It prompts us to do a Fall cleaning, or Space Clearing if you will...a cleansing of the prior activity and get our house ready for our  journey of quiet contemplation.

This Fall, as all the others for the past several decades, I began my space clearing. This time though I was adamant that I needed to work with my plants as well. I decided that certain ones were going to be pulled up from the ground and potted to be brought indoors, and others were going to be re-potted into larger containers. 

I set up my garden table on the deck and worked first on all of the herbs I was going to have in my Winter's kitchen garden. Then I decided to create some new sacredness for my indoor plants, giving them an opportunity to grow in new ways. I foraged through my many planters, choosing just the right ones for each plant, cleansing and prepping them, then started filling them with rich organic soil - healthy surroundings just as our own spirits need in order to flourish.

My peace lilies, patchouli, sage, philodendron, and zebra plants were ready to be transformed. I was in a sense shocked when I began releasing them from their old residences...finding that their root systems were bound so tightly that they couldn't even creep their way out of the drainage holes on the bottoms of the pots. I softly loosed their roots and dusted the old impacted soil away and I could almost hear a sigh of relief......"Ahhhhh I can Breathe". 

I continued this process with each of the plants, saddened that I had waited so long to help in their growth. As my hands gingerly worked with their life source, I began thinking of the process on a spiritual and philosophical level in relation to our own lives. I thought about how we as humans so often put our own needs aside and procrastinate on doing the things we need for ourselves to flourish and grow. I thought about how this little bit of meaningful time can have such a long lasting impact on our own personal growth. I reminded myself that I needed to be sure that I put my own needs first on my priority list, and how my not having done so may have prevented my own spirit from evolving  to higher levels. 

I made a promise to myself that I would ensure that I always had enough room to grow, and to make sure that there was always time and space available for the exploration of my soul.

These events on this cool breezy Fall afternoon inspired my new painting, "Root Bound No More".

The painting  brings the Tree of Life forward in a symbolic tone, portraying Personal Growth that allows one to overcome challenges, reaching out of the conforming self limits that we sometimes place on ourselves.
The canvas was textured with a Golden product medium, swirled in a large circle and painted deep rich colors of burnt umber, brown, and burnt sienna, to be symbolic for the self created limits we put on ourselves. The Tree was painted rising through the circle, its swirls of roots reaching not only below but above those "self limits", allowing it to grow beyond its wildest dreams. An abundance of small detail work was done in the many leaves of the tree, as new and vital growth. 

Selugadu Festival 2014

Last weekend was the annual Selugadu Festival, a Native American celebration, at the Hagood Mill Historic Site. This has been a special event we attend every year, not only because of the theme itself, but because of the relationships. It's a time when we get to see many of our friends (artist, dancers, drummers, and demonstrators) although it's even more special when we get to see the people that come to visit us year after year that often we don't get to see otherwise. 

This particular time it was bittersweet, being the first Selugadu without the presence of Ed Bolt, long time curator of the Hagood Mill site. Ed was like the Father overseeing the family at the Mill. He was the glue that held it together, and that kept a relaxed and homey feel to the space that made me as a demonstrator never feel like it was "work" but a family get-together. He worked hard creating this family and was always a man that was respected and endeared. 

Since Ed's passing, the Mill is still in operation...evolving into what it now will be. The things that need to be done are done and it will continue to grow. I do miss that family feel, but as in life we all grow and change, and a new family will be created.

This year many of the dancers and storytellers were new to the Mill. The Nu Nu Hi Warriors (Immortal Warriors) representing the Eastern Band Cherokee came and offered the main event performance, along with the "Order of the Arrow" dance team and the "Keepers of the Word" drumming group. 

Flute playing, storytelling, blow-gun demonstrating, and basket making filled the day, while at the same time the Gristmill was turning grinding cornmeal and flour. But I have to say that the one thing, my favorite thing, that speaks to my Spirit are the Horses.

The Dan Buckheister  family and the Twelve Mile Indian Horse Association were present with their Spanish Colonial Horses. (Their horses are descendants of the first horses brought to this continent by the Spanish)

The children are allowed to paint their hand prints on the horses throughout the day.

Visiting the horses is a must for me. It is the one thing throughout the day that speaks to my spirit so deeply and authentically. Stroking their mane and looking in their eyes, brings such a strong connection with this animal, that just emanates freedom and riding the wind.  

Even though events, families, and life changes.....Spirit always remains the same.