Spirit Guides.

Trust the process. For me, this simple phrase defines my art-making. While fully immersed in Senior Thesis, this second series has gone through many transformations while I simply let go and created.  I let the art speak to me until it found its voice in Spirit Guides. Here I was able to tap into my interest in Native American culture and in wildlife; more specifically the Native American belief in spirit guides, otherwise known as animal totems. These guides, or totems, are personal spiritual identities in the form of an animal that direct and protect a person.

When thinking of these spiritual entities, I picture an ethereal being that captures the essence of whatever creature it represents. This is the concept that I try to convey in Spirit Guides.  I began by layering vibrant washes of acrylic to create a layered, luminescent effect to the abstract forms. I then added the actual form of the animal I chose to represent onto each canvas with a subtle layer of gloss medium. This creates a hint of the creature that the viewer has to find and does not dominate the entirety of the piece. To bring the each piece together, I then add splattered white that creates a feel of otherworldly stardust. With this series as a whole I hope to express my own curiosity into the concept of spirit guides and animal totems, while simultaneously conveying a highly spiritual experience for the viewer.