Sage of the Woods Painting

The wa-hu-hi (owl) is both feared and revered by many cultures along the American South. The Cherokee called their high priest (chief) the u-gv-we-yu-hi (White Owl) or u-gu for short. Other tribes felt this creature represented death and carried the soul of the departed to the afterlife. Early Jews and Christians associated the owl with the fabled Lilith (a pre-Eve companion of Adam said to be the world's first succubus precursor to the vampire). However, for many, the owl represents intelligence and wisdom. The owl, the panther, and man are only a handful of creatures with binocular vision. Some Southeastern Tribal tales say this is because they watched the earth being formed and never looked away. Many tribal cultures even talk of great, mystical feats various types of owls did on behalf of man. The story of the first fire in the sacred sycamore tree is one of them. Power, grace, wisdom, silence, divinity...they are just a few of the many words people use to describe this most peculiar of raptors. Like all Ken Johnson feather paintings, this piece comes professionally matted and framed using glare resistant glass. About the Artist: Ken Johnson is a Southern heritage feather painter. Feather painting is a Native American artform which was handed down to him. In 2001, Jeb Bush, Governor of the State of Florida, abolished state recognition for non-federally recognized tribes. This made it illegal for American Indian artists, from over 500 non-recognized Florida tribes, to call their work "American Indian Made" or to call themselves "Native American artists." Enraged, he quickly took up a leadership position in his tribe and started promoting his artwork as a protest to this onerous change in Florida legislation. He uses his paintings not only as a protest but also as a way to showcase causes, key concepts, social justice issues, ecological issues, history, and more.