|
|
Breath/The Hand and its' Stand
The carving of my hand was inspired by a photo Annette had taken years ago of my hand.
After carving the hand, we realized it looked better sitting higher up. And from that position the hand had a flowing quality to it like water, could I carve the illusion of water flowing from the hand? Let’s see.
I choose the largest log I had, the initial thought was abstract water flowing. I thought what would rain look like flowing in the hand and down the Stand? As I carved different shapes, spaces and meaning emerged.
The Shapes:
The front and sides have a flow to them then in the front inside is a seed on the sides the seed is sprouting, transforming coming out, on the back the seed has now grown into a vine. What was inside is now visible outside, carved in relief.
The Spaces:
This carving is intended to interact with the elements, I carved through the wood at different angles with the hopes that sunlight would create a cool shadow show throughout the day. The interplay of light and dark. And to me space, represents pure potential.
The Meaning:
Inspired by Jin Shin Jyutsu (The Art of The Creator Through Compassionate Man)
The Front- The Hand represents Universal Energy/Source Energy/God Energy. You want to reach up and hold it, interact with it. The Flowing/giving quality of the position of the hand, represents The Universal life force from Source Energy. As this energy flows down the front it densify down to matter, the seed. This is our Exhale. As we exhale the breath densify down to our physical body, Spirit becomes matter. We feel this in our body with each conscious complete Exhale, we become Spirit in matter. Exhale and receive.
The Back- The relief carving of the vine growing up and wisping into nothingness on the back of the hand, represents matter/ the physical world moving upward returning to spirit. This is our Inhale. As we inhale, energy moves up the back, matter returning to spirit. We feel this lightening up in our body, with each conscious complete Inhale our body lifts itself up as matter returns to Spirit. Inhale and Let go.
The Sides- The carvings and spaces represent transformation, potential, possibilities. The Space between Being and Becoming. The space between Exhale and Inhale and Exhale and Inhale.
The carving of my hand was inspired by a photo Annette had taken years ago of my hand.
After carving the hand, we realized it looked better sitting higher up. And from that position the hand had a flowing quality to it like water, could I carve the illusion of water flowing from the hand? Let’s see.
I choose the largest log I had, the initial thought was abstract water flowing. I thought what would rain look like flowing in the hand and down the Stand? As I carved different shapes, spaces and meaning emerged.
The Shapes:
The front and sides have a flow to them then in the front inside is a seed on the sides the seed is sprouting, transforming coming out, on the back the seed has now grown into a vine. What was inside is now visible outside, carved in relief.
The Spaces:
This carving is intended to interact with the elements, I carved through the wood at different angles with the hopes that sunlight would create a cool shadow show throughout the day. The interplay of light and dark. And to me space, represents pure potential.
The Meaning:
Inspired by Jin Shin Jyutsu (The Art of The Creator Through Compassionate Man)
The Front- The Hand represents Universal Energy/Source Energy/God Energy. You want to reach up and hold it, interact with it. The Flowing/giving quality of the position of the hand, represents The Universal life force from Source Energy. As this energy flows down the front it densify down to matter, the seed. This is our Exhale. As we exhale the breath densify down to our physical body, Spirit becomes matter. We feel this in our body with each conscious complete Exhale, we become Spirit in matter. Exhale and receive.
The Back- The relief carving of the vine growing up and wisping into nothingness on the back of the hand, represents matter/ the physical world moving upward returning to spirit. This is our Inhale. As we inhale, energy moves up the back, matter returning to spirit. We feel this lightening up in our body, with each conscious complete Inhale our body lifts itself up as matter returns to Spirit. Inhale and Let go.
The Sides- The carvings and spaces represent transformation, potential, possibilities. The Space between Being and Becoming. The space between Exhale and Inhale and Exhale and Inhale.
The story of the “Six Spiraling Feathers” Peace Pole (last two photos above)
Early Fall 2023 I had completed a commissioned carving of 2 feathers, a condor and eagle feather together, symbolizing a Native American saying “When the Eagle and Condor fly together there will be peace on earth”.
Sometime after that carving Pastor Jes of Faith United Church of Christ in State College PA, mentioned that the Church had wanted a “Peace Pole” for a peace garden and suggested I carve one. I was not familiar with the “Peace Pole” so Pastor Jes sent me the link https://worldpeace.org/peacepoleproject/ .
The seed was planted. At first I was uninspired about carving what looked like an obelisk. I continued to research and discovered that a Peace Pole could be any shape as long as it has the phrase “May Peace Prevail On Earth” written in 4-8 different languages.
One morning I woke up with the idea for this carving. My usual process on most carvings is to draw it on graph paper and then translate that to the log. I was not able to fully draw this one, so I made feather templates and taped them onto the log till it matched the concept in my head of spiraling, yet I also wanted to create the illusion of spiraling in and out. As I am a self-taught chainsaw carver (www.shecarvers.art), I still wasn’t sure how I was going to do this. So I tell myself “let’s just see what happens” the fun begins and the sawdust flies.
The end result was what I had envisioned, and after carving I wrote about the symbolism and meaning that was coming to me while carving. Much of the symbolism and meaning reflects how I view, understand and make sense of the world. How I earn my living is as a Jin Shin Jyutsu Practitioner and Licensed Massage Therapist (www.statecollegemassage.com). Jin Shin Jyutsu translates as “The art of the creator through compassionate man” It is energy work, a physio-philosophy, physio-psychology, physio-physiology. I could say much more about Jin Shin Jyutsu and how I interpret the world through this lens, and Pastor Jes and I have had several conversations about this. For now I offer this as background for the reader.
After carving the next step was to come up with the languages. The languages we originally suggested were: English, Spanish ( our languages), A Native American (They were here first), Braille (If I can carve it), German ( because of Faith's roots).
The final languages we had decided on, and also asked for feedback from Consistory on were: Native American (Lakota), Spanish, Swahili, German, Chinese, English. The goal was to choose six languages, that could be written with the english alphabet, and that would represent as many people all over the world. The only response for feedback was Pastor Jes asking about the use of Lakota. I responded to her question and then proceeded.
Native American was chosen to honor the original peoples. Unfortunately the language of the tribes who lived in this area, has been lost. Annette contacted John Sanchez (https://www.bellisario.psu.edu/people/individual/john-sanchez), who is our local Native American expert, for a translation. This was his response:
“ here is the Lakota word that is used In prayer.
MĪTAKUYÉ OYASIN
It means we are all related! Usually said at the end of a prayer and is widely used by many tribes. “
Spanish was chosen to represent Annette’s native language as well as about 10% of the world.
QUE LA PAZ PREVALEZCA EN LA TIERRA
German was chosen to represent the roots of Faith UCC in particular.
MÖGE FRIEDEN AUF ERDEN HERRSCHEN
Swahili and Chinese were chosen as other languages that represent a large number of people from other continents.
AMANI IDUMU DUNIANI
YUÀN HÉPÍNG JIÀNGLÍN DÌQIÚ
All translations of the above four languages are from https://peace-pole.com/clickable-translations/
English was chosen to represent my native language.
MAY PEACE PREVAIL ON EARTH
Symbolism and Meaning (Artist Statement) of Carving
Feathers: Represent inherent virtue, power and wisdom. Native American culture sees them as a Spiritual agent of great Power. Christianity says the feather represents Faith, Hope and Charity. My idea then is that with the peace pole we are hoping to bring about a more peaceful world, to do that we need a Spiritual Agent of Great power; a Feather.
Six Feathers: Because six is the number that represents balance, discernment ( something we hope all leaders utilize). Six is also a number to harmonize fears. And because of what feathers represent, inherent virtue, power, wisdom, faith, hope and charity.
The feathers are floating in a spiral: The spiraling represents how energy moves from source to us and from us to source. it spirals up and down also in and out. With each exhale energy spirals in and down, dense-ing from no-thingness to matter. With each Inhale energy spirals up and out as matter returns to no-thing.
Imagine our exhale to be the Creators inhale, and our inhale to be the Creators exhale.
Our Prayers of Peace with each Breath.
The spiraling gives movement to the piece, inviting the viewer to walk around the sculpture, while praying for peace.
The center “pole”: Also has movement representing the fluid nature of life. It also has deep random areas carved within, inviting the viewer to look within, to go deeper. To Now Know Myself. To let Peace begin within.
The base of the carving: represents the individuality of all people, yet at our core (the center of the pole) we are all connected.
The various colorations of the wood is natural: and represents the various skin tones of the world.
The Red Leather with six languages: Leather is a natural material that compliments the wood, it is a skin representing our superficial layer to the world. Language is the superficial way we communicate, the deeper way is with the heart. The color red represents our sameness, under that skin we all bleed red, and have a red heart.
The Tacks used to attach the leather are small raised polished brass: representing the seeds of light from each prayer.
Early Fall 2023 I had completed a commissioned carving of 2 feathers, a condor and eagle feather together, symbolizing a Native American saying “When the Eagle and Condor fly together there will be peace on earth”.
Sometime after that carving Pastor Jes of Faith United Church of Christ in State College PA, mentioned that the Church had wanted a “Peace Pole” for a peace garden and suggested I carve one. I was not familiar with the “Peace Pole” so Pastor Jes sent me the link https://worldpeace.org/peacepoleproject/ .
The seed was planted. At first I was uninspired about carving what looked like an obelisk. I continued to research and discovered that a Peace Pole could be any shape as long as it has the phrase “May Peace Prevail On Earth” written in 4-8 different languages.
One morning I woke up with the idea for this carving. My usual process on most carvings is to draw it on graph paper and then translate that to the log. I was not able to fully draw this one, so I made feather templates and taped them onto the log till it matched the concept in my head of spiraling, yet I also wanted to create the illusion of spiraling in and out. As I am a self-taught chainsaw carver (www.shecarvers.art), I still wasn’t sure how I was going to do this. So I tell myself “let’s just see what happens” the fun begins and the sawdust flies.
The end result was what I had envisioned, and after carving I wrote about the symbolism and meaning that was coming to me while carving. Much of the symbolism and meaning reflects how I view, understand and make sense of the world. How I earn my living is as a Jin Shin Jyutsu Practitioner and Licensed Massage Therapist (www.statecollegemassage.com). Jin Shin Jyutsu translates as “The art of the creator through compassionate man” It is energy work, a physio-philosophy, physio-psychology, physio-physiology. I could say much more about Jin Shin Jyutsu and how I interpret the world through this lens, and Pastor Jes and I have had several conversations about this. For now I offer this as background for the reader.
After carving the next step was to come up with the languages. The languages we originally suggested were: English, Spanish ( our languages), A Native American (They were here first), Braille (If I can carve it), German ( because of Faith's roots).
The final languages we had decided on, and also asked for feedback from Consistory on were: Native American (Lakota), Spanish, Swahili, German, Chinese, English. The goal was to choose six languages, that could be written with the english alphabet, and that would represent as many people all over the world. The only response for feedback was Pastor Jes asking about the use of Lakota. I responded to her question and then proceeded.
Native American was chosen to honor the original peoples. Unfortunately the language of the tribes who lived in this area, has been lost. Annette contacted John Sanchez (https://www.bellisario.psu.edu/people/individual/john-sanchez), who is our local Native American expert, for a translation. This was his response:
“ here is the Lakota word that is used In prayer.
MĪTAKUYÉ OYASIN
It means we are all related! Usually said at the end of a prayer and is widely used by many tribes. “
Spanish was chosen to represent Annette’s native language as well as about 10% of the world.
QUE LA PAZ PREVALEZCA EN LA TIERRA
German was chosen to represent the roots of Faith UCC in particular.
MÖGE FRIEDEN AUF ERDEN HERRSCHEN
Swahili and Chinese were chosen as other languages that represent a large number of people from other continents.
AMANI IDUMU DUNIANI
YUÀN HÉPÍNG JIÀNGLÍN DÌQIÚ
All translations of the above four languages are from https://peace-pole.com/clickable-translations/
English was chosen to represent my native language.
MAY PEACE PREVAIL ON EARTH
Symbolism and Meaning (Artist Statement) of Carving
Feathers: Represent inherent virtue, power and wisdom. Native American culture sees them as a Spiritual agent of great Power. Christianity says the feather represents Faith, Hope and Charity. My idea then is that with the peace pole we are hoping to bring about a more peaceful world, to do that we need a Spiritual Agent of Great power; a Feather.
Six Feathers: Because six is the number that represents balance, discernment ( something we hope all leaders utilize). Six is also a number to harmonize fears. And because of what feathers represent, inherent virtue, power, wisdom, faith, hope and charity.
The feathers are floating in a spiral: The spiraling represents how energy moves from source to us and from us to source. it spirals up and down also in and out. With each exhale energy spirals in and down, dense-ing from no-thingness to matter. With each Inhale energy spirals up and out as matter returns to no-thing.
Imagine our exhale to be the Creators inhale, and our inhale to be the Creators exhale.
Our Prayers of Peace with each Breath.
The spiraling gives movement to the piece, inviting the viewer to walk around the sculpture, while praying for peace.
The center “pole”: Also has movement representing the fluid nature of life. It also has deep random areas carved within, inviting the viewer to look within, to go deeper. To Now Know Myself. To let Peace begin within.
The base of the carving: represents the individuality of all people, yet at our core (the center of the pole) we are all connected.
The various colorations of the wood is natural: and represents the various skin tones of the world.
The Red Leather with six languages: Leather is a natural material that compliments the wood, it is a skin representing our superficial layer to the world. Language is the superficial way we communicate, the deeper way is with the heart. The color red represents our sameness, under that skin we all bleed red, and have a red heart.
The Tacks used to attach the leather are small raised polished brass: representing the seeds of light from each prayer.