Kelly Church: Talking with the Manitou (Acryl on canvas, 50×40 cm, 2000)
Kelly Church
Kelly Church describes herself as a painter of the “Woodland style”. Her ancestors are the Anishnabe people. In her painting she picks out as a central theme what the early legends of her ancestors tell… – – – This also applies to the picture “Talking with The Manitou”: Kelly Church indicates the room with the water thinned colors green, blue and reddish brown which are situated in the breadth of the picture over each other. By applying the colors with plenty of water these “slip” to the tertiary area. Strongly thinned applies vary with compressions what gives to the stratifications from below up a distinction also within an element. – – – On the ground of the water everything had started until the country and the air were then conquered. (I agree on the air at the color thinning as such.) The fish therefore forms the scaffolding the further life-forms are based on: Fish, bear, crane, man. A central position befits apparently the crane. He is surrounded by a deeply replete red which gives him great strength. – – – The colors of the represented living beings are more certain the condensed colors of the represented surroundings.… – – – In their concentration the cloudiness of the colors is disappeared and they arrange an intensity, which can stand for a self-assured inner attitude. Being centered in one’s inside creates an active access to the outside world.…
Every being has its own development, symbolized by the spiral which is connected similarly to an umbilical cord with every living being. The necessity of dividing the umbilical cord off can be a metaphor for a permanent metamorphosis which is demanded from us in our existence. Nevertheless, the divided off past is living further causing the next evolutionary steps into us. I imagine that the spirals carry all information of the career of the respective creature as a species in themselves like also as an individual. A rational insight into the hidden notes of the past only can grant by unrolling the spiral and decoding the released information… – – – Furthermore, I imagine this umbilical cord – spiral while being unrolled surrendering its secrets (= stored information) and recognize: Actually we always do everything namely in the fields of anatomy, archeology, art, geological history, linguistic research, medicine, paleontology, psychology, sociology and many other things more to come behind this secret.… – – – The spirals every being is carrying around are a beautiful symbol for those complicated connections…
My excursion to a possible rational grasping of the symbolism is quasi the communication level to which we have access today.
The small imaginary group surely has never been together so found. She is a symbol for the attitude of mind of the early Anishnabe people. They still had been in harmony of heart and intellect and felt the uniting between all creatures: every being was equipped with the strength of the Manitou… – – – Man had been in the face of the creatures surrounding him. – – – With that, communication had taken place at the level at which we feel the “divine” within ourselves. Nowadays we have left this level and feel merely an idea about it if we learn a “concussion” – what can be pain, mourning or something else shattering us. Different forms of existence are carrying in themselves this strength of the Manitou, and therefore they are equal aspects of being. This was surely the central statement of the Anishnabe people. Their thoughts found expression in the pictorial strength of myths and legends.
It had been surely an ability of the Anishnabe people then to be able of being absolutely present in body and mind what caused a high attention for the here and present… An attention for themselves, like also for all other beings: The prerequisite for “recognition” is to allow the inner truth of every nature. This creates in us a realizing of the inner strength being together inherent in all nature. This recognition actually is a getting award of the Manitou, the divine strength within everybody and -thing.… – – – Interpretation: Renate Hugel
Kelly Church at her work: Taken in the Gallery „pro art“ in Bremen, 2000
To the Person of Kelly Church:
Kelly Church lives in Michigan therefore in the north of the USA. This had also been the reason that – in addition – it had been a special experience for her to cooperate with artists from Oklahoma – and turned around.… – – – Kelly Church has a great charisma of inner fullness; her nature always seems to be carried by positive energy. This is reflected in her working method: An abundance of material always was on her table for painting. The photo above shows the color sea which surrounded her usually while painting. This allowed her to create from the full one.… – – – This was not everything yet; she had brought with her many other materials in addition. To this I will report about her in a further contribution. – – – Later I realized what a multifaceted personality she is and which excellent engagement determines her actions! (A contribution to it will follow in addition.) – – – Renate Hugel