Indigenous feather teachings describe each of the seven stages of the human lifespan, from birth to beyond, starting with the base of the feather to the tip in a linear pathway. These seven feathers represent each of the Grandfather Teachings: honesty, truth, bravery, wisdom, respect, love and humility, attributes that help us live a good life on that pathway. A mandala arrangement of the seven feathers helps to depict the circle of life, which has no beginning or end, and so the painting can be hung however it is pleasing to the viewer. Yet more powerful lessons from Mother Earth.
I am a woman with Métis heritage and a stroke survivor living in northwestern Ontario. I started painting two years ago as a way to communicate my ideas and personal healing journey without speech, and to improve my fine motor coordination. I loved travelling and being outside, so nature is my inspiration.