Image: 16 " x 16" - Acrylic on Watercolor Paper
Original is Available - $1495

Mayo Clinic, 2010 Spirit of Eagles Conference

The inspiration for this painting arose from the incredible work and dedication of the Spirit of Eagles staff. Special thank you's go to Dr. Judith Kaur (Choctaw) and Paulette A. Baukol for their enthusiasm.

Image Symbolism:

1) The Four colors of man at the top are expressed in the form of a pictograph eagles, honoring the wisdom of all Elders.

2) The blue flowers in the border illustrate the many plant medicines Creator has left for man to heal the community.

3) The light blue eagles represent the positive influence the Spirit of Eagles has from infancy to adulthood.

4) The group of wigwams at the bottom show the importance of community commitment and collaboration, the foundation for healthy living.

Image: 29" x 22" - Acrylic on Watercolor Paper

The inspiration for this painting sprang from Dr,. Ramsey (FHCRC) during a meeting concerning health disparities in the Alaska Native/Native American Communities in Seattle WA. Upon securing a small grant, together we decided to focus our efforts on smoking cessation and how we could express the statistical data in a culturally acceptable manner.

The story of Octopus Woman and Crow discusses what can happen if one does not heed the advice of Elders.

The image created illustrates 25 crows. The crows are heavy smokers who quit. 23 crows would not get cancer, one (yellow) develops lung cancer, and one other (blue) escapes the tentacle of cancer by quitting. Octopus is cancer.

Be the one who gets away from danger by living in a knowledgeable way is the message.

Acknowledgements:

To Johnny Moses, Tulalip - Native American raised in the remote Nuu-chah-nulth village of Ohiat on the west coast of Vancouver Island, B.C., Canada, who had recorded the story of Octopus & Crow and made this available to the public.

To the McNeil family, Tlingit Tribe, Eagle Moiety, Killer Whale Clan, Cloud family, Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, Bird Clan who let me view their heirloom button blankets and the Colfax family, Makah, Wolf Clan, who encourage the making of the this art piece and generously gave cultural advice.

To Scott Ramsey, MD, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center who envisioned the integration of native art to express cancer statistics, plus his assistant Sara Jones.

To Marvin Oliver, Quinault and Isleta-Pueblo heritage, who taught me how to draw ovid designs in a class at the University of Washington, Seattle.

All the Staff associated with Native People for Cancer Control project and the grant reviewers who had faith in this unique project.

The many Cancer Warriors whose names are listed on the back of this painting. Also, the Coast Salish People, for their wonderful stories which healed me in spirit, the many Ancestors whose inspiration was irreplaceable and Creator who brought all of us together to create this beautiful image.

I honor all of you with this painting, and wish to expand this important effort in the future with four button blankets that could be donated to clinics or medical centers.

With the encouragement of positive feedback in regards to the Octopus Woman painting a button blanket was born. Button blankets are very sacred articles. I had wished to create a button blanket for many many years, but never had a good reason to do so.

With a gentle push from my dear Tlingit and Winnebago friends this button blanket arrived. The blanket was carefully reviewed by Tlingit family members from start to finish.

Bless your assistance.

This piece of art now resides in the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indian Art located in Indianapolis IN.

Blanket: 56" x 56" - Heavy melton wool, natural shell buttons in 3 sizes, hand and machine stitching.

Located in the collection of the Eiteljorg Museum of the American Indian, Indianapolis IN.

Five months of labor went into the creation of this blanket.

Blanket: 56" x 56" - This art piece is for sale.

After attending the Spirit of Eagles conference convened by the Mayo Clinic in Minneapolis MN I was very surprised as to the devastating impact HPV infections had on both young men and women.

The infection rate for Native Women was staggering. I thought so much about the role of women and how our bodies deliver the future into the world.

We Hold the Future is a wearing blanket that speaks of the responsibility women naturally carry as Grandmothers, Aunties, Sisters, Nieces and Daughters.

The red hand in the cradle board represents choices a mother makes touches her baby.

Created from heavy melton wool, copper studs, hawk bells, Italian velvet, beading, 3-cut seed beads around the hands, and crystals.

Five months of labor went into the creation of this blanket.

Image: 30.5" x 22" - Acrylic on Watercolor Paper

I loved this design in the wearing blanket so I wanted to continue the effort and make a painting that could be used in print form as well.

I the midst of creating these two pieces Delf Schmidt-Grimminger, MD phoned me from North Dakota asking if I had any art that could inspire cervical screenings and HPV awareness for Native Women.

Delf Schmidt-Grimminger was essential in helping me understand what HPV was, the breakthroughs of Gardisil® vaccine and other medical details that without his expertise I could not have grasped.

Thank you's also go to Dr. Ramsey who explained the complex statistical information related to HPV infection and how to 'look forward' in effort to encourage patients to seek cervical screening.

Native People for Cancer Control, a health awareness poster

Image: 22" x 15" - Acrylic on Watercolor Paper

This original painting used on the NPCC poster was originally commission by the Potlatch Fund located in Seattle WA a few years ago. This painting depicts the cooperation and sharing of wealth, friendship and knowledge between tribes located in Washington State.

It is appropriate that this painting of cooperation fits in the message of working together to control cancer.

Click image for a larger view.