The Seed Keeper by Nadia Turner

I was so happy to wake in the cold, green forest after returning from travelling to my sun sisters in Queensland last night. Thank you to all of the amazing women who came to unbind their wisdom in Swan Blessing on Mt Tamborine. What a beautiful journey of connection and weaving of new friendships. And what a joy to return to my home in the green - from 35 degrees to 10 degrees - Australia is indeed made of many countries.
And I awoke to see this new illustration, The Seed Keeper, by our friend and forest neighbour, Nadia Turner. This is her entry in the Illustrators Australia annual exhibition and you can view and bid on this and other artworks here:  www.illustratorsaustralia.com/events/upcoming/ias_18th_annual_9x5_exhibition_flouris
Today I feel like the seed keeper, I will share more soon of the amazing dolls and medicine birthed on magic Mt Tamborine but today I will rest and hold the seed of return.

Medicine Doll Magic and the Child

Shaman Medicine doll created by a child at Chesapeake Middle School

This year I have become enchanted by the spirit and medicine doll, this ancient craft and shamanic art is profound and I in the dolls I make for myself and for others I feel such a strong current of healing. It is beautiful to watch others create their own dolls and I am fascinated to observe the birthing of dolls in the workshops that are so much more than dolls - they are creatures so powerful and potent and mysterious. It is a beautiful way to reach the Dreamer birthing the Dream - the Wild Self, the Inner Healer. I have begun to receive guidance that in the future I will be sharing this healing art practice not only adults but with children too. That makes me excited and also extremely happy - how beautiful to witness someone so young birthing their ancestral medicine.

The Shaman medicine doll you see above was made by a child in a program created by artist and art therapist, Christine K Harris in Chesapeake in the U.S to help young students aged 10-13 to cope with acute emotional stress and deep trauma. When their creations were displayed at a nearby gallery, visitors could not believe that the dolls were made by children.

During the sessions, which took place at the school after hours, Harris discussed the concept of shaman dolls and what they symbolize, the concept of the "amulet" and the use of symbols, fabrics, colors and accessories. She brought in baubles, trinkets, fabrics, feathers and textiles which the students affixed to armatures (figurine "skeletons"). 

"These kids learned quite a bit in that short period of time," Harris said. "And learning is another path to recovery." 

During the two days, Harris said she noticed that the nine participants encouraged and supported each other. One youngster "did and un-did" his creation over and over again, until his peers, and a school art teacher, praised the work, which signaled to the young artist that the project had come to a satisfactory completion. 

"They enjoyed what they did. It seemed to give them satisfaction in making something on their own, and the process seemed to create a catharsis," she said. 

After the two days, the youngsters created dolls they gave various names including "The Unknown," "Beatrice," "Horns," "Alone," "Grandma" and "Lost Love." 

"I noticed that some of the students were very protective of their dolls," Harris said. "One didn't even want it to be displayed or photographed."
The results were beyond what was expected.  Via

The Medicine Woman and her Doll workshops: 
12th October, Grail Haven, Mt Tamborine QLD
19th October, Kumbada Studio, Kalorama VIC

Wombat Love - All is Well

Last week I was having a difficult day. There are many changes happening in our lives and I am being asked to let go  - again and again. I went for a walk, everything in me fighting the change. And then I met a beautiful woman who cares for orphaned animals before releasing them back into the wild. As I looked into her 'pouch' a dear wombat reached out his paw and I forgot every trouble that I thought I had. How vulnerable our wild animals are and yet how strong. I leant in and kissed his nose, feeling the weight of resistance falling away. All is as it should be. We can help each other.

Tawny Frogmouth Familiar

source

Look at those faces! I am really loving creating new doll familiars with the medicine of Tawny Frogmouth. Since working with the essence of this beautiful Australian bird I have received so many gifts of friendship. I feel that their medicine is not only of camouflage and shapeshifting as you can see above they blend amazingly with the bark of trees, but also of symbiosis and integration - coming together and yet still holding your own authentic essence.

A dear sister sent me these feathers found on her travels in Queensland and this weekend I will get to meet her in person and hug her heart-to-heart at our medicine doll workshop on Mt Tamborine. It's been over a year since I have placed my feet on that magic mountain. 
Here are a couple of the Tawny Frogmouth Familiars...I think there will be quite a few more sisters of this tribe making themselves known soon.
Making new friendships - Tawny Frogmouth and Acorn plant medicine doll

Lilith Tawny Frogmouth and Plant Medicine Doll -
Welcoming home all parts of ourselves

Birthing in Darkness - Visionary Art of Augustin Lesage

These intricately detailed works of art were created by French coal miner Augustin Lesage at night after spending his days in darkness deep within the earth.  He went to work in the mines as a child and had only ever visited an art gallery once in his life before hearing a voice in 1911 at the age of 35 telling him, 'One day you will be a painter'. The voice he heard came from within the pitch black mine. Prompted to explore communication with the spirit world, he was then instructed further and given guidance on what to paint. While guiding his hand, he was told, 'Do not try to understand what you are doing.'

I am fascinated by these works, they are so very similar to shamanic paintings and particularly visionary works painted by Ayahuasca shaman. Of his work Lesage said: 'I never have an overview of the entire work at any point of the execution. My guides tell me... I surrender to their impluse.'

via www.messynessychic.com

Wild Kingdom - Kai Fagerstrom

I love the work of Finnish photographer Kai Fagerstrom. Here are images from his new book 'House in the Woods' a series of photographs of 6 abandoned cottages in the woods and the creatures who move in to inhabit them. 
“Deserted buildings are so full of contradictions,” says Kai. “I am fascinated by the way nature reclaims spaces that were, essentially, only ever on loan to humans.” Waiting for the animals to show up at a right place is sometimes a lengthy process, but, as Kai says, “The journey is more important than the destination.

See more of Kai's stunning photography here.