There is no better way to delve into the minds of people who lived long ago than through their art, symbols and stories repres
ented visually. We can learn so much about a group of people by absorbing and studying what they created. Rock carvings and paintings, ancient pottery, and design motifs still seen in weaving all speak to techniques handed down from parent to child. What is so interesting to me is that so many of these motifs are seen in cultures around the world, as if there are symbols and designs that all people are drawn to making. We are so fortunate that some cultures have honored artistic traditions, so in a way, we are looking ba
ck in time when we see contemporary art. Notice the same wave pattern in these examples of pottery from the Andrea Fisher Gallery in Santa Fe. While on our Fiber Art tour and workshop in April, we will be spending some quality time at the gallery, seeing older and newer pottery from many pueblos and discussing the intricate patterns, decoration and symbolism. At the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture we’ll hear a guided talk about the even older art and explore the symbolism and motifs used in the past–fascinating! I am looking forward to seeing how being immersed in this beautiful art can be applied to our own creative pursuits in the workshop. I have always been interested in universal symbols- the spiral, square, circle, equidistant cross and triangle, and came across a book by Angeles Arrien called Signs of Life. The book explains the use of these symbols cross culturally and shows artwork that uses them. We’ll be discussing this in the workshop and hopefully, be inspired to explore the meaning of the symbols in our own work. I have done a series of felted pieces exploring this, as in this example: 
You’ll see several of the universal symbols represented- I wanted to see how they might affect my mind and composition as I worked, and found it very enlightening. I look forward to the Santa Fe workshop and tour, and sharing the richness of the art there with you!
semesters in Ireland and Scotland, visiting hidden places and fairy glens with local guides, and absorbing the rich artwork, symbolism and beauty of Irish art through the ages. I would often come back to Wisconsin, and in my studio find ways to explore the imagery and experiences through sculpture, drawing, fiber art and mixed media. 
For example, the raven is a symbol of many things in Celtic tales, and a powerful one at that. Shape shifter, messenger, Morrigan- all of the stories and connections of the bird played with my imagination, and led to many series of artwork like the example here in clay and fiber.
I love combining realism with fantasy or magical landscape, and often incorporate birds, as I see them as messengers and symbols of freedom through flight. the magical qualities of ravens have been noted in stories in cultures around the world. I have created many ceramic sculptures using this symbol to explore the ideas I have read about.
This beautiful little doll comes from Inisheer on the Aran Islands. In 1939 it was handed into the folklore collections of theNational Museum of Ireland, where it is now stored in Castlebar, Co. Mayo. Simply made, the body of the doll is fashioned from a single piece of timber, most likely driftwood, that was roughly shaped. Eyes are provided by two iron tacks/nails, which are hammered into the ‘face’. The doll is dressed in a colourful woollen head-scarf, shawl and felt dress that mirrors Aran Island clothing of the 1930s (see image below). Although rudimentary in nature, it is not hard to imagine how this small doll was once a much loved toy.
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