Shaman

SOLD

30” x 40”

Acrylic, gouache, ink, and pencil on canvas

Shaman means medicine man or woman in ancient cultures. They often used medicinal herbs and remedies as healing agents. Here, the title reflects the power of the flora in hilly regions like that featured here - the Santa Ynez mountains and bluffs of Santa Barbara CA. They provide the structural substrate necessary for geological stability. When foliage is lost after wildfires, like those common in this area due to climate change-induced droughts, landslides and erosion of the topsoil can occur. The massive mudslides of 2017 in the SB/Montecito area was a direct result of this phenomenon. The large structural feature at the top of the painting is symbolic of both the midcentury-modern California Rancho architecture of the area, and of the plant-enabled structure critical for stability in these biomes.

The actual building referenced for this structural painting was designed by architect Cliff May, and lives on in the Santa Ynez Valley outside of Santa Barbara.