Medicine

This was my final project for a figure drawing class back in college. I believe the year was 2011 (fall). We had to illustrate a word. My word was “medicine,” and so I draw a woman creating a medicinal vapor with the help of snake spirits (snakes being symbols of medicine). The woman’s hair was loosely inspired by hair decor worn by the Nez Perce, aka Niimiipu, tribe.

Carbon, Charcoal, and Pastels on 22×30 inch gray paper.

Spider Guardian

I completed this during a college life drawing course. The assignment was to do a self portrait revealing something important about ourselves. Therefore I chose to draw myself a spider, an animal that is very special to me. The spider has been with me for many years. Spiders are the symbol of creativity worldwide, from various Native American stories of Grandmother Spider weaving the universe to African stories of Anansi stealing the craft of storytelling from the heavens. To me they are also a symbol of overcoming fear–I was once terrified of spiders, but not anymore. Now I know that they are my brothers and sisters.

Carbon and charcoal on cream paper, 22×30 inches.