Art and Spirit
In the summer of 2001, I took an excellent workshop with Ojibway painter David Beaucage Johnson. David is an exceptional painter with a gift for sharing his stories through his art. He is also a very lovely man. I believe him to be the inspiration that pushed me toward painting seriously. It took me a little while, but, I felt like there was a chance that maybe I could learn to paint and actually say something. For the first time I saw art as a way of connecting with Spirit.
Tempest, David Beaucage Johnson
Landscape and art are able to communicate so much more than simply a pretty scene. David took us to the teaching rocks near Peterborough. He shared with us the stories told by the images carved and chiseled into the granite by his ancestors. The moon was full that night and there seemed to be so much power emanating from the place. It is an experience I will never forget.
Earlier that same day, I had finished a piece that was influenced heavily by David’s techniques and stories. I had never used an airbrush before, and I wanted to try and paint northern lights over a misty lake. The results were far different from what I imagined, but, perhaps more profound. The lights in the sky were more like the spirit canoes on the teaching rocks than the aurora.
Spirit Canoes, Michelle Basic Hendry, 10×14, 2001
In the years since, I have refined my technique, but one thing is never far from my mind; I do not ever want to lose the Spirit that drives me to paint in the first place.
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January 29th, 2008 at 11:54 am
Lovely! Both the paintings and the sentiment!
Best,
Kinsey
January 29th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Thanks Kinsey!:)
January 29th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Here here! I am so with you on this. It’s my driving force.
These pieces are beautiful, Michelle. I love the energy you present your ideas and work with. It’s so nice to meet more artists working with spirit. Blogging has helped me find them!
I have been wanting to paint Northern lights for a long time, and you are newly inspiring me to do so.
January 29th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Kris – I would love to see that!
January 29th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
These pieces are wonderful!! I love the power and connection to spirit!
I saw you over at Chris’ marketing blog and decided to check you out.
~ Diane Clancy
http://www.dianeclancy.com/blog
January 29th, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Hi Diane! Thanks!
I can only take credit for the second one. It is one of my earliest paintings.
The first is David’s – Note that the entire horse is done with a single continuous line. He’s truly brilliant!
January 29th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Great post & lovely art. Are you perhaps referring to Petroglyphs Provincial Park? My ex & I were up there once, but he was too cheap to pay for entry (which explains, at least in part, why he’s my ex.)
January 29th, 2008 at 11:53 pm
Thanks Lana -
Yes – it is Petroglyphs Provincial Park! There are some great trails up there as well. At the end of a 90 minute hike, there is a beautiful waterfall that you can sit in during late summer.
January 13th, 2010 at 2:42 am
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