I can easily say the only thing original about this might be my simplified style of it. I have filled my imagination with images of tree beings and forest spirits from endless books, movies, and illustrations.
They aren’t always female and I’m not sure this one is meant to be fully female either. It is part Ent-ish. I wanted it to appear to be both growing and shrinking at the same time. The branches go everywhere. While I didn’t show them, the feet are not firmly planted in the ground. Her legs are slightly crossed and walking.
Materials: soft pastels and charcoal on watercolour paper.
Dimensions: 9″ x 12″
Overview note on this series of spirit studies: During research on Hopi Kachina dolls I did for a major essay at school, I came face to face with more questions on appropriation than I was prepared to understand. The first challenge was writing with anything resembling respectful expertise on indigenous traditions from around the world and the second was dealing with the images they inspired me to make. I hold no claim to authenticity, nor any in-depth understanding of the significance of these images. In many cases, as is part of my art practice, I allowed myself to transform and recombine inspirations into something new-ish.
See more at Arts MPerron @ www.1-mario-perron.pixels.com
