Story Behind This Mural
Artist Statement
I paint in symbolic narratives, combining biological illustration with surrealistic dreamscapes in order to communicate a universal message.
Here I honor the journey of our beloved Brown Pelican, now removed from the endangered species list, as a symbol of hope for the healing of this planet. Positioned in front of the Moon and Sun, the sacred energy of Earth, one pelican stands on a cliff while the other floats in the sea, serving as a visual connection of all elements on Earth.
Honeybees and honeycomb share their healing touch over the pelicans, symbolizing the restorative Divine Feminine energy that sustains and connects all life. Honeybees share a similar story as the Brown Pelican as they have suffered from colony collapse disorder, and yet continue to heal and continue to find strength.
Furthermore, I incorporate human legs on the pelicans as a way of looking back in time to our native ancestors, the Kumeyaay tribe, or “those who face the water from the cliff”. They were MuttTipi, or “people of the Earth”, and their wisdom is rooted in this same ground and the same water under our feet today. By honoring their ways, and with the bees as our guide, we must see this as holy ground, and together we can help heal Mama Earth.