Here is one of the final images I developed in my conclusion of creativity tonight that I drew from Mysteries of the Cab–the image previous to this one. I selected hollowed out portions of the original, and put them as layers into a new image. I titled that piece Luxated Strata. I will have to post that one at a later time though. I just wanted to show you the beginning and ending of my productivity for yesterday and this evening.
Take note of the patterns in the lower right corner of Mysteries of the Cab. They are also on the wings of the bird. These patterns just synchronistically appeared after I copied and did a mirror image effect of them. These uncanny organizations just happen regardless of me in the processes of my assemblages, whether if they’re traditional or digital.
So here we have what I titled Dragon Bird as a result of further mirroring, replication, and assembly. It was just as clear as day to me that it was a bird with spread wings flying. The center of interest also seemed to have an abdomen like an insect, like a dragon fly. Hence, it further became an icon representing my efforts in developing hybridizations between creatures, abstractions, as well as traditional and digital art.
I had a dream long ago in which I was in a forest and I witnessed these large thunderbirds flying around in the sky. I could see the massive, powerful, alien looking birds through the spaces between the leaves and branches of the trees. I was apprehensive of them, but they didn’t seem to be interested in catching me for dinner. They flew like UFOs fly, turning on a dime at break neck angles.
These thunderbirds had long feathers streaming from their wings and tails that had beautiful patterns on them, sort of like how moths or butterflies have. I never painted the birds from this dream, but I did record the dream in a dream journal I was keeping at the time. I find that keeping a dream journal keeps a door of creativity open for an artist. Dreams introduce ideas that I never imagine entertaining in my conscious state.
This image here reminded me of that dream I had. It also makes me think of my distant ancestral heritage with the Cherokee tribe. Though my great-grandfather on my mother’s side of the family was not recorded in US census records, he still existed as Cherokee. I’m proud of that. I had no intention of creating bird like this with outstretched wings, but it just popped out at me after a certain point.
Art of eVan 