Tree & Owl by Pateros and Taos Pueblo Artisans, 2022
This 24” round elk-hide hoop drum was expertly hand-crafted by the indigenous artisans of the Taos (New Mexico) Pueblo and subsequently painted by the artist. A night-time scene with tree and owl emits a simple yet eerie sense of new moon blackness graced with Owl’s presence in the “family of things” (Oliver, 2020, p. 347).
Morpho by Pateros, 2022
Morpho is a 12” by 12” painting on wood block depicting the iridescent blue morpho butterfly in its imago stage (see Figure 19). The artist has experienced the magic of blue morphos in the wild in Costa Rica and Peru. Transformation is a central theme in transpersonal-ecopsychology. This painting honors the deep work of transformation, transfiguration, and transmutation.
Eye of Tulip by Pateros, 2022
This 40” by 30” painting on canvas was inspired by Pateros’ love of flowers, the color fuchsia, and Georgia O’Keeffe’s work and words, “So I said to myself—I’ll paint what I see—what the flower is to me but I’ll paint it big and they will be surprised into taking the time to look at it — I will make even busy New Yorkers take time to see what I see of flowers.” (Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, 2022)
O’Keeffe, influenced by one of her art teachers, was interested in “{filling} space in a beautiful way (Hutton Turner, 1999, p. 1). My art reflects this proverbial way of living. I love for my art to reflect beauty; beauty expands my heart and activates feelings of boundless joy.
Artist Statement: ~~energy flows through my heart and hands creating portals of colour and form through painting and sculpture and clay, grounding and enlivening animistic soul interconnection. Creative ritual process grounds. Rooting to Mother Earth strengthens the connection between heart and mind and fuels the stories we tell, to ourselves and others. Interacting with the natural world and the spirit world—in reciprocity, trusting, and calling in the magical and mystical, allows the spirit of creativity to flow through me. By being in service to and striving to be in balance with the Earth and all of life while honoring cycles of life and death, the planet, and the greater cosmos, I feel most present to create. The ritual of art has not only grounded me—the ritual of art has also enlivened me and fueled my purpose, bringing me to feel joy as well as grief as an embodied human in this middle world. The ritual of art has emboldened my love for Mother Earth and the ways in which I actively live.
BIO: Chris bridges healing between the western and indigenous worlds as a global spiritual guide, ceremonialist, ketamine-assisted nurse therapist, an artist, author, healer, teacher and presenter. Grounding in ecocentric ritual, ceremony and practices, Chris’ seeking and mystical soul-seeing has awakened her spirit to support others to own and share their potent gifts in the world by guiding groups and circles in embodied conscious living and dying practices as well as sacred art creation. Internationally, she guides shamanic energy and earth practices through workshops, presentations and private client work. Part of her flourishing life includes spending precious time with her two adult daughters. Chris lives gratefully immersed in nature in Boulder, Colorado at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, and in Chicago, Illinois, also spending extended time in Kythira, Greece, the place of her paternal ancestors.