Blue Root Series

Drawing inspiration from Inuit traditions and the powerful symbolism of embalmed bird amulets, the Blue Roots series explores the intricate relationship between humanity and the natural world.  The central image of the amulet serves as a portal, connecting the viewer to themes of ancestral memory, the soul's journey, and the cyclical rhythms of life and death. Through a blend of realistic and surreal elements, the series offers a fresh perspective on the Indigenous understanding of nature and its profound spiritual significance.

For the Inuit, the annual arrival of migratory waterfowl from the south signaled the spring thaw and the end of winter's hardships.  But the birds also brought a bounty: meat and eggs for food, skins for parkas, and bright feathers to adorn ceremonial masks and costumes.

In a sacred exchange, the Inuit honored the birds' sacrifice, carrying parts of their bodies as potent charms, or embalming them as amulets hung at their igloo entrances – silent pleas to the avian spirits for continued freedom and success in the hunt, a profound acknowledgment of the delicate balance between life, death, and the bounty of the land.