American Animals
My moving from the UK to the USA has involved being surrounded by different animals in reality and in symbolism, so I have decided to delve into some of the animals I see here.
My moving from the UK to the USA has involved being surrounded by different animals in reality and in symbolism, so I have decided to delve into some of the animals I see here.
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Buffalo
Lino 20x15cm In the great plains regions buffalo were a staple source of food for native people living in the area. They were respected as powerful beings, often related to stories of resilience and protection. I find it hard to think about buffalo without the image of piles of bones and the destruction of them being over-hunted for their skins when settlers hunted the buffalo for sport, to have a stake on land and/or to deprive native people of their food source. So there is also a symbol of peoples' impact on animals and communities when there is greed and carelessness. The translation of Tatanka, the Lokota name for 'buffalo' is 'he who owns us' (http://www.tankafund.org/history-of-tatanka). There is a ghostly feel to this print. Seeing them in reality, they feel ancient, somehow inhabiting the past and present at the same time. |
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Wapiti
Lino 20x15cm Wapiti is based on the Shawnee name for Elk. There is a well known legend that links Elk to love and music. In the legend a boy is in love with a girl and doesn't know how to tell her, two elk visit him in his dream and give him a flute, so that he can share how he feels with music. This elk unintentionally appeared with what looks like two legs. I am interested in the fusion of animal-human mythology and this elk somehow takes on something human in being two legged. |
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Black Bear
Lino 20x15cm Bears have ancient symbolism in many different cultures. Bears have been linked to women shamanism in Siberia through the same name and in North America within Inuit folklore. The maternal aspect of bears as well as their strength is often included in stories. This makes the bear a good symbol of feminine power. The bear is seen differently in different Native American tribes, sometimes as the keeper of dreams, due to its long hibernation, or as associated with healing, it's claws often used as a talisman in medicine bundles. |
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Small Squirrel
Lino 20x15cm This print was inspired by two abandoned baby squirrels we found. When sleeping they curled up like this, reminding me of the fetal position and feeling safe. I hand printed this one, liking the softness of the ink surrounding the squirrel. |
Traces Exhibition Prints
Tiger
Lino 20x15cm |
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This collection of lino prints featured in the Winnicott Wednesdays Collective Exhibition titled 'Traces'. They also featured in the Animal Selves Exhibition. I repeated the same print exploring how each tiger held a different expression/impression.
Wood Engravings
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Passenger
Wood Engraving This is one of many wood engravings made for an autobiographical series of prints, exploring small every day observations in a jig saw style. This is a man on a bus in Bristol, UK, taken from a sketchbook journal. |
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Wood Engraving Blocks
Titles (Clockwise): Chair Imprints, Autumn Leaves, Lilly Shadow, Curious, Fence, Passenger's Ear Lemon wood and box wood Various Sizes These are a small selection from a large series of wood engraving blocks forming the basis of a set of prints exploring a vast collection of every day thoughts and observations. The process of wood engraving enables small detailed images to be drawn from the wood. |
