Shannon Woode, artist
Shannon@ShannonWoode.com
shannon@shannonwoode.com
The Ancestors
The ancestors began the journey of painting for me after the starting point that was seeded in my journey into the North again, with drawings I called Listen to the Land. They are the voices that called out from the land. They are the grandmothers and grandfathers of the vast forested wilderness. We receive their guidance when we sit at their feet and listen to the wind. The original series has branched into others, The Keepers, which opened at the 2013 Sunshine Coast Artcrawl, and Spirits of the Land.
This work was part of "Our Forest", 2014. group show at Gibsons Public Art Gallery that celebrated and explored the themes of our local legacy:
Artists of the Sunshine Coast gathered in this forest in the fall of 2012 to document and bring awareness to its ancient ecosystem. It was home to 40 trees that survived the fire of the mid 1800s leaving trees up to 600 years old, and the unique habitat they contain...... only 7 minutes from the Roberts Creek highway turnoff.
Unfortunately the voice of the masses that spoke went unheard, and the scheduled clearcut by the District of Sechelt went ahead in December that year. There continues to be cutblocks taken out every month. And new trails made by those in our community who are bringing awareness and the community back into our forests.. Organized walks are occurring regularly. Join in or do your very own.
Their guidance is offered when we
sit at their feet,
lean into their trunks,
and listen through our hearts.
Look out and see the seasons and the ages.
Through their voices
we will be drawn
into the winds
that funnel up
from the earth
and awaken
to the incantation
of a new day.
Sit under the shelter of her branches
and feel the Grandmother's skirts and
shawl wrap around you
Grandmother's Skirts
Grandmother's Shawl
The Perspective of My Grandfather
The Incantation
