This photo/drawing essay need some explanation. I will attempt to interpret as well as I can. I started this drawing in 2008 about the time I joined DPC. I was just laid off from my welding job (bottom left corner). We were experiencing a major ice storm at the time (tear drop in upper left shows our front yard). Shortly afterwards spring came and flowers began to bloom (left side border clematis, tulips, and other flowers). I still had no news as to when I would be returning to work, so began taking photos of wild life. Then my wife decided to take a vacation while we had the time. We planned our trip to the southwestern part of the United States. T are many photo included here of place we visited. Tombstone, AZ ,(left side with the horse) Four Corners, NM, (above the thunder bird to the left, is a Navajo Indian ruin) Mesa Verde, CO,( between sun and bear’s eye, and the right side of sun face shows cave dwellings) Grand Canyon, (upper right) Bryce Canyon, UT(center background of sun face).
This is the drawing part before pictures were added.
The Indian symbols include Kokopelli {flute player, Known as a fertility god, prankster, healer and story teller), thunder bird (bearer of happiness , or messenger of the gods), bear track ( upper left, means good omen), Rain clouds included in the grand canyon photo represents good prospects), the bear upper right corner( strength), the sun face (A symbol of creative and natural energy. The supreme god due to the Hopi's dependence upon it for the growth of corn, and other sustaining crops. The eye of God)
I live in southern California now, and the bottom right is a photo just out side of Lake Los Angeles.This work took 5 years to finish. I try to do one of these drawings each month as a diary of sort. This was the first time I included photography in the story telling.
I'm out of my depth here. This piece is filled with symbolism that I'm not familiar with, although I think that it is at least partly inspired by pre-European American culture(s). There's a Thunderbird, and all the sun icon geometry's right too. Anyway I don't want to embarrass myself by being too superficial, so I'll speculate no further. My favourite part is the eye in the upper right corner. It seems out of place and out of time here, which leads me to think that that's the artist's own window into the greater piece. Bugger; I very likely embarrassed myself after all.
I always thrill when confronted with a work that I have to grapple with. Especially when I stagger out of the ring bloody and bewildered, and demanding a rematch. Thank you.
The center feature is like a big lock that needs to be unlocked and all the pieces will fall like autumn leaves. I find this good introduction to more pictures.
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