Spirit Guide

The inspiration for Spirit Guide came from a trip to the Southwest. I was so impressed with the colors of the desert that I wanted to create a mosaic in similar colors that would evoke a sense of serenity and spiritual growth. It was important for me to include a hand-carved Zuni bear fettish as the bear signifies strength, self-knowledge and healing. The unique substrate consists of three circles 10" diameter, 15" diameter and 20" diameter that are attached slightly off center with a bolt in the back. I worked my way from the center circle, with large pieces of uncut minerals. Then I used materials including smalti, turquoise, white turquoise, cornelian, silver beads, turquoise pebbles, recycled jewelry, pearls, a polymer clay heart, beads, and orange calcite chunks, to mosaic a highly tactile asymmetrical pattern around the central circle.