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Good Spirits II is part of a triptych I created. Each piece was separately printed, framed and hung. The continuing theme of the ‘protective’ spirits can be seen only faintly in the upper section of this piece. The central image is one that is commonly known as the Sky Dome (also known as ‘Sky World’ representing where all life came from).

The strawberry is repeated as a sign of Ken’niiohontésha (“Strawberry Festival”) which is a yearly festival for the Mohawk people.  Haudenosaunee, in particular the traditional Mohawk people, “follow a familiar cycle of ceremonies that define the spiritual foundation of our people.  Haudenosaunee spirituality dwells on our duty and responsibility to be thankful to the natural world which provides for our health and well-being.  The Haudenosaunee spiritual calendar is cyclical and starts over each year with the Midwinter Festival.” -from Haudenosaunee: Kahnawake Branch of the Mohawk Nation Six Nation Iroquois Confederacy (www.kahnawakelonghouse.com). 

The pattern of circles represents the rich tradition of beading which the Haudenosaunee are known for. The beading pattern also ties into the beaded whimsy bird which is 1/3 of this triptych. When I was younger I used to do more beading, especially loom work. Incorporating that image into a print, created on a computer, is my modern version of beading, a digital bead work of sorts. 

An interesting read with great photos on the history of raised beadwork can be found here.