Breath of the Manitous
Breath of the Manitous
Acrylic and Chainstitch Embroidery on stretched canvas
30”x36”
I wanted the spirit of the distant Manitou to be in communication with the foreground plants in this piece, which to me invoked movement. I imagined the wind that wraps itself through the prairie fire and tall chicory to be the breath of the island itself, perhaps gaining speed as it travels across the lake. As in my other paintstitches, I’m curious about the experience of the flora. How does the chicory respond to this breeze? Is the yarrow waiting for the sun? Is the prairie smoke in conversation with the island?
As a way to bridge the wide gap between my two homes (Northern Michigan and West Texas), this painting is a sort of sister painting to “Three Sisters on the South Rim”. I began both paintings with the same dusty rose under layer, and dedicated one to each landscape. I enjoy the way they play off each other in this way.
