About the Art from the Artist
(Page 2)

Traditional art and personal style

Indian art must be allowed the freedom to evolve instead of restricting it to traditional images. The Indian artist of today does more than preserve his culture; he enhances it with his creative ability. That is his stock, trade and inalienable right. (This comment includes women Indian artists, as well. LP)  

I am uncomfortable with developing an identifiable style or metaphor. I prefer to move beyond what has already been painted and expressed. I want to explore the concepts behind the tradition from different perspectives, developing my own images.  

I have never been able to accept limitations as to style, form or content in my painting. Limitations inhibit the creative process. With free use of color, form, texture and a variety of experimental mediums I express the stuff of my dreams.  

Too many times we let others' opinions of what is right and wrong color our creativity. I think that we should have a sense of personal morality and that we should live within it. Absolute laws restrict creativity. I don't give much validity to them. I believe that we need discipline. Discipline is necessary to explore freedom. A painting is limited by the size of the canvas but anything can be painted upon its surface. Discipline, the size of the canvas, does not restrict freedom; it only contains it. The freedom to be creative can only exist within a discipline.  

There is no such thing as talent. There’s only one thing, commitment. We all have creativity. The key to expressing it is to define what it is that you want to pursue and make a commitment to it. Then you’ll find the tools you need. You’ll have the patience to work through all the mistakes, the things that don’t look good, and you’ll keep persevering until it happens the way you want it, or in a way even more wonderful than you had first imagined.  

To me, color has tremendous feeling. Some colors are more healing than others. Some speak to me of music, vitality, creative energy. I paint the background first. I pick out a color and let it sing to me. I use terrycloth to dab on the color.  

Circles represent the cycle of life, fullness, the unity of creation.   

The flute player represents the eternal prayer, music, the dance of the universe. In the Southwest we call the male aspect kokopeli and the female aspect is kokopeli mana. The concept of the flute player is that as we sing, creation grows; as we pray the prayer is released to become, to evolve. Music must be played and released to be heard; the song is shared with the universe. The flute player is symbolic of prayer, of releasing the song of our spirit to the universe. Music is not static. Vibrations continually change; the song is never the same. Each person has a different sound. Music is symbolic of a freeing energy, of prayer.