Copper Coyote Artwork

I am an archaeologist and have a keen interest in animal skulls. I grew up on a farm near Tisdale, Saskatchewan and became a nature enthusiast from a young age. After visiting India in 2013, I began creating mandalas using gold ink. Mandalas are a geometric pattern that represents the cosmos metaphysically or symbolically. Eventually, these mandalas laced the skulls that I accumulated legally and ethically from taxidermists, hunters, trappers and navigating forest trails. These skulls would otherwise have been discarded and I wanted to honour the animals by painting intricate patterns on them. My art combines other elements in nature including crystals, moss and wooden frames. Essence of Ash celebrates the life that once ignited the skulls and it explores realms of consciousness through meditation during mandala making.