Re-worked "Terse Existence" Print; Painting idea

During my three hour flight home, I worked on the fourth print (the best in my opinion) of the "Terse Existence" prints with a very fine micron pen and at times a regualr pic pen to add in darker darks and more defining mark making. I loved also how the plate tone came out on this piece and figured it'd look better with more mixed media work put into it.

The left piece was some fooling around I did in both Gimp and Photoshop to a recent self-photo I took yesterday. I was mostly playing with color relations next to one another and mixed, as well as compositional ideas such as the 4 directions "stack". Aside from those 4 colors I loved the mixture of black, blue, green, and yellow together, and the splatter effect behind my head. Just an idea, but would be an interesting painting I think.

"Scavenger Hunt"

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Medium(s): Bic Pen

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I completed Scavenger Hunt bacially in the same amount of time as Terse Existance. I enjoy coming home some days and just sketching with pen the ideas that are in my head, and the ways I see them.
Finished in a few hours or so, my new influence in gothic style and music has really done positive things for my style as well as my ideas for the toxicating effects of assimilation.
This piece here of a woman, bending down to inspect a buffalo skull that is decorated in paint for a Sun Dance, while her newly cut hair hangs over her shoulder as she bends, holding the now discarded braid in her left hand and the scissors for doing so nearby.
All assimilation referances and the decay of Indigenous thought, morality, and overall culture can be referenced in the piece before this.

"Terse Existence"

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Medium(s): Bic Pen

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A pretty spontaneous composition I did that took about 2 1/2-3 hours using a regular black bic pen. Lately I've been combining my ideology for Indigasphyxia with some morbid and gothic elements to convey Indigenous assimilation. I entitled this "terse existence" to show that cultured life for most Native people is cut short (not so much abruptly, but chronically) as American and social radioactive temptations and mentality infect the Indigenous mind. They, in time, become diluted from these outside influences subconsciously to where it becomes all they know. Right or wrong, its what they know, what they are comfortable with, and what they can fit into with other people. I also consider this a human "stochastic matrix" almost, where regardless of what P is, it fits into the concealed and grouped matrix.
He's holding his braid he cut off to show my favorite and personal choice of direct assimilation. The syringes are a more chronic and over-time effect of assimilation, hence the "terse" aspect of it. The wires that lead from the head are a direct mind-feeding and mind-control aspect of assimilation, which is the root of it all. Assimilation is solely mental and visual. I also used these "feeding tubes" as a means of constricting the body to the chair, but not in a sense that it binds him like a prisoner. Instead of showing enslavement directly from the tubes, I feel that assimilation isn't a painful or hindering bind, but a more unnoticeable one to where it doesn't affect your movement directly, but keeps you in one place...in a chair.
The idle bottles and cans of alcohol that sit off to the side are obviously tools to help someone to lose their self-control, self-awareness, and is a social means of bonding and fitting in. I refuse to use realism on alcohol, and will always cover the containers in black with traditional white lightning bolts and hailstones; traditionally how we artistically conveyed evil when telling visual stories. Alcohol feeds assimilation. It is technically a poison as well as a mind alteration that can lead to uncontrollable behavior, loss of ones personality, and even death. It is an evil temptation, and a modern evil that will always be conveyed by me as such in the way my people always have shown it.


"Cold
Blue
Lifeless
Deathless
Illuminated by the machines
That hold you on this side
Anger or fear
So calm
Unaffected I cease to live
I fear my infection
Watching over your soul as you sleep
Injecting nightmares as you sleep
All I want is your purity
All I want in this world is your mind."

Indigasphyxia: Ideas while awaiting frames arrival

As I await my camvas frames to be sent here from the east, I've been using some small Printmaking class assignments as well as Finite notebook sketches to continue formulating and sketching compositional and figurative ideas for Indigasphyxia. The top image which was sketched rather small this morning in my Finite notes this morning is an overall thumbnail plan of the entire composition (figuratively). I placed figurative subjects where I felt they were somewhat most appealing to me personally, as well as their forms, arm gestures, etc. The far right standing figure is referenced to the sketch which is already on the 6 ft. canvas.

The larger image below it is a planned sketch for a mezzotint print in my Printmaking class. I felt I'd use the down time from the original piece and use my time wisely in Printmaking to formulate more detailed and concrete figurative ideas. The idea of constricting wires comes from the first figure on the canvas where the wires constrict the TV to his head, and debating on making that a continued ideas throughout the compositon for other figures. My love for figurative drawing I feel will bring a lot of personal fulfillment to myself in my class as well as keep hope for my future plans for Indigasphyxia.

"As A Means of Contact"

(CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGE VIEW)
Medium(s): Linocut Relief Print
October 12, 2009

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USD Printmaking 1 composition done on a linoleum pad (9 1/2 x 11) with about 5+ hours spent. I was very pleased how this turned out (even though this wasn't my final product paper but a proof done on newsprint). I was inspired, as I've stated before, on the current cultura clash of the Jarawa's on an island off the coast of India as well as the other surrounded tribes that have no real contact with the global world. The Jarawa's however have finally opened up to Indians settling on their land and are no longer hostile but eager to hitch rides from a major highway going through their reservation as well as begging for goods. With a very high level of annoyance and discust from settled Indians, the Jarawas are becoming less and less respected on their own land and their culture is at risk.
This piece reflects the mental impact of them from their now constant exposure to technology, even though they themselves feel no effect from it, so is my thesis of radiation.
"CD" on the forehead of the gas mask represents another image I plan to incorperate more into my works, which stood for the "Civil Defense" in the 1950's that was an organization that planned to be organized and defend the public from possible nuclear attack by arming them with knowledge such as "duck and cover" etc. I have turned that slightly to stand for "Culture Defense" in which obviously the gas mask is to resist radiation of our modern world that is toxic to the cultured person and mentality.
As I have personal cultural concern for the Jarawas, this piece represents all cultured people. Not so much the modernized but those that have yet to be uncontacted, such as the many tribes in Brazil and South America where many have yet to even be discovered, nevermind contacted.


-Artist's Critique-
As much as I love the composition as is, as I have said this was but a proof, and I've been having difficulty creating similar, repetative prints. Something I'm sure will come with more exerience in printmaking overall. I have yet to recreate a print similar to this where all my details (done with a thumbtack mostly for the clothing texture) actually are visible repeatively on prints.
Compositionally this was originally just a small time sketch I did that I chose to try out for my class. I'm glad it turned out the way it did and I recieved a lot of positive feedback from professors and peers. I enjoyed working figuratively with printmaking as I do with most mediums, and learned a lot about creating light and reflection as well as textural lines. Overall a piece of work I was content with.

"The Last But Not Least" WIP

This rather small sketch (4 1/2 x 6 inches) is for a drypoint etching project the same size on a copper plate. I feel I'll really enjoy etching considering every single line made will show up, rather than lino printmaking where every line has to be made deep enough in order to be seen on the printed paper.
This is a pretty famous photo in Indian Country of Geronimo and his few followers, one being his son I believe. They resisted defeat to both U.S. and Mexican armies and refused reservation life during the 1890's in the southwest desert. He is considered to be the last warrior to fight the Indian wars for cultural solidarity and real freedom to live as they always have. Though the fight continues, to have the odds against him and to still fight I believe many Indigenous traditionalists and activists look to the past to this man to be inspired for "the" cause.
As usual, I gave him a gas mask to symbolize his fight to survive against mental radiation, to preserve his culture and way of life.
This is simply a sketch which will be forwarded onto my copper plate. I'll update with further progress.

P.S. "As A Means of Contact" lino print was somewhat successful in the printing process. I spent 5 hours creating very fine lines to discover they all disappeared in the ink rolling. Disappointing but art is not always product but process. As long as I'm learning, I can only move forward I believe. I will still update with the final print I did once they dry.

"As A Means of Contact" WIP 2

Poor photo quality but, figured I'd post the next phase in this composition. Instead of a pen piece like I first intended with this, I instead turned it into my next project assignment fro Printmaking. I transfered and flipped my drawing onto this linolium pad, and all that is white at the moments has been what I've carved out and what will be white when I roll ink over the pad. I made some mistakes in what I intended to be white or black, but printmaking takes experiences I think to realize and visualize the future product and look before making the next carved mark. Once you carve, you can't erase, so I try to be careful but also not afraid to experiment and make/learn from mistakes. I'm hoping to finish carving next week sometime, but still have a lot to do. Next week I'll be spending a lot of extra time at the FA building trying to get this done before Thursday, and start seeing how it looks as a print.

"As A Means of Contact" WIP

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"As A Means of Contact" was inspired by recent discussions with a friend of mine about the Sentinels, Jarawas, and other uncontacted tribes around the world that have yet to be intoxicated by westernization and technology; every indigenous peoples dream when it comes to cultural preservation and mentality.

The Sentinels live on an island of the coast of India, and have met any sort of outside contact with militant resistance of hailing arrows. There are a few coverages of their interactions with outside people and helicopters, and find it fascinating and recommend reading up on them as well as the recently discovered tribe during a flyover in Brazil a few years ago in 2007.
The Jarawas however don't live as separated as others do. Their island has become settled by Indians and have been exposed to technology. At first for a while they met outside contact with resistance as well, but soon opened up interactions with settlers and now openly go about their business with them. Though they have become a "nuisance" to settlers and are being treated less and less as human beings. A major island highway was constructed right through the middle of their homeland, and now encounter a lot of traffic in which they ask for rides and beg for food. Some have even stopped hunting and become solely dependent on handouts they receive from settlers and tourists. Its a pain I have, definitely.

Visually, I wanted to portray some Jarawas, one with a gas mask of course, and contemplating the rest of the composition. I've recently become interested in the heavy contrast between contemporary and untouched traditional culture. The mask itself provides a means of protection against westernization and technology, and to continue their traditional life uncorrupted, especially while they are still so close to their culture and way of life, a lot closer than most Indigenous people of the world can say for. I'm still trying to make artistic decisions in this one, and haven't quite laid it all out yet, but figured I'd post a WIP.

The Endangered Jarawa
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlRSsvB4iLE

***Side note being my 6 foot canvas will hopefully be sent out here soon and I can continue that piece. Hopefully in time to somehow finish it before Spring semester and the Stillwell Exhibition.

Intro to Printmaking 1: first assignment

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Medium(s): Printmaking, X-Actoblade

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USD Printmaking first assignment of the semester included drawing anything to get a feel and look at how what you do effects the visual after rolling the ink on, etc etc. Personally boring for me because I've had plenty of experience with this and haven't been in the mood to do artwork that fits in the palm of my hand. Though finally got a little release on wanting my gasmasks done in my artwork. This isn't Native fallout related but figured I'd just wing this assignment with doing any old thing.
I really really disliked whatever this cardboard we used for a base. Paper is paper, and cutting and carving in paper isn't really that enjoyable, especially after being used to woodblocks and linoleum for making prints. Displeasure aside this was one of the best of my 5 or so prints that came out of this assignment, and think its ok. Nothing amazing, but ok. My professor did like it, and I did however like the etching effect of the x-actoblade for lines. It reminded me of doing scratchboards which can be a lot of fun and come out nice if effort is put forth.
Overall, first mini-intro to printmaking assignment, thought it came out ok so figured I'd post it.

The Beginnings of "Socio-Radiation"

After receiving my long-wanted gas mask for my 21st birthday last Thursday, I was excited to slap it on and create a new "artistic image" of myself and the road I am taking with creating an art thesis. I've decided I just find the mask too appealing to not use in a contemporary way of portraying Native American issues, as well as just mental issues in general that are subconsciously created. "Socio-Radiation" applies to the toxic effects of modern society (whether it be capitalism, communism, etc..they are all equally blinding) on a person's ability to think for oneself as well as see reality. I'm fascinated with the nuclear era and this constant fear of the end of the world as we knew it. The fear of toxic radiation, a substance invisible to the naked eye but affects health and causes many problems. I see the robotic blinding society as a "invisible radiation that is now in the air", and people are openly exposed to it, 9 times out of 10 have no natural defense against it. The results being long-term effects such as loss of perception, loss of culture, and "visual imparities" such as believing everything a person hears, and the heavy reliance on media and taking every word from it as truth.
Personally I love the cross-visual of a gas mask with feathers and traditional braids, to symbolize the "mask" we must wear as cultured Native people to defend our minds against losing it to a tempting modern society, with this toxic radiation that we're forced to live in today.
I feel its a creative concept that I have yet to see anything close to, especially Native related.

These photos I took today, playing with lighting as well as manipulating heavy contrast in GIMP image program. I was too excited about my favorite visual finally being in my hands, and being able to portray it the way I've always wanted to. This is just the beginning of my portrayal to my "socio-radiation" phase in my artwork.

"Indigasphyxia" 6x6 ft. Canvas Project commences

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I've finally gotten to a point where I take a break and reflect what I've done so far. Its taken a lot or re-sketching and re-proportioning (mainly of the arm and hand as you can see). This is the first time I've ever scaled something 10-20x its normal size, so its a learning experience as I go. I took two photos, one to have a nice centered image of the piece so far, and one with me working on it to show a size comparison of how big it actually is. Considering this is something totally new and out of my comfort zone, and I'm not doing to bad at it, I'm really having a lot of fun.
I gain more ideas for the piece as I work on it. Instead of just a plain feather from the mask, it seemed pretty parallel to the area of direct vision to the eyes, and figured I'd put a TV hanging of it, as well as kinda forcibly strapped to the face, almost like a forced focus fixation on the TV. Below too, a somewhat altered idea, is going to be a child hugging onto his waist with scissors in his hand and looking up to him. Along the line of to show the subconcious act of the child following in his footsteps.
So far this is only about a third and a half of the piece, and have some lingering ideas about the untouched side. Though at this point I'm sure tons more will develop as I continue working and my ideas start accurately portraying what I'm seeing in my mind.
I'll keep updating as I continue to pursue this piece.

Referances/Ideas for my 6x6 ft. Canvas Project

The two referances I've found so far that really caught my personal art interest for my new project I'm about to conduct, which is a painting/mixed media done on a large 6x6 foot canvas. I'm going to use my sketch of the post below of the Native man with the gas mask and cutting his hair, and I believe I'll have him doing that as he watches Naive children, also with gas masks on, playing jump rope like the photo on the left. Mostly to symbolize the impact of what adults do on child role models and how that effects the passing down of Native culture as well as identity.
The composition on the right "Ben: Jinnwoo" (http://fc00.deviantart.com/fs8/i/2005/316/5/2/ben__jinnwoo_by_squeakersqueakin.jpg) is a piece I found that really interested in me in color/chroma usage as well as the combination of ink crosshatching. I may not crosshatch with ink, but I do enjoy the look of ink being used as well as paint. A graduate student at the university this past year had done a similar mixed media (ink with paint) and it also had really drawn me to his work. I figured I might as well try to do what is compelling me about this mixed media usage of these two mediums. The dark vs. light in this piece as well as the intense high-contrast usage also has been something Ive liked for a long time.
I'll update with photos of the WIP when I get things down on the canvas.

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Rough sketch of a new idea, with a most uncertainty one what to do with it, add to it, or medium to use in it. The body language and position is very appealing to me and don't want to ruin it without thinking things through.

Will update with any developments on it physically or decision wise.

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Medium(s): Pastels, Charcoal
April 28, 2009




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USD Drawing II Final Porfolio composition using pastel. This was a perceptual and observational piece that was combined with a creative composition. I observed a sculpture on the second floor of the Fine Arts building of an African woman (main subject in the piece) and did a rough charcoal sketch at first, then created her clay flesh tones, which then resulted in the overall color pallete for the rest of the piece.

Basically I saw fear and sorrow in the eyes of the sculpture, and related it to most of my knowledge of Africa and what really happens there. Mostly also how because its a "world apart" and that we know it so much that we no longer really care about it or wish to hear about it. As much as dislike to admit it, in general not just Africa, as a human race could the heavenly being ever really forgive us for what we've done to each other, based on race, sex, religion, politics. In most cases, its the innocent, which I portrayed in this piece, that become the most affected, the most hurt, and the most lost. I created the disturbing, almost ghost-like visual of child soldiers in Africa. Children are usually stolen from their tribal families and brought up in rebellious revolutions and groups that are usually driven most likely by money, natural resource profits, and political affiliations. There is nothing more innocent in this entire world than children. Minds that have no yet discovered or been taught judements, racial discriminations, and hatred overall. We poison the minds of our own children when he automatically affiliate them with our beliefs and use them as tools and billboards for what we fight for.

The same goes for women and mothers. I discovered the treatment of women when they are attacked in their tribal villages. If not shot, are mutilated severely. Used as sexual objects but also are attacked severely by having their breasts cut off and their unborn children cut out of their wombs. Its something that we cringe at and become discusted and possibly nautious. But this is planet earth, and we need to accept and know these things happen.

I tried to be mindful of my color blending as well as color choices. I wanted a contrast between warm and cool temperatures as well as melding and markmaking. We associate colors like purple, blue, and white as "cold" colors, colors that are usually associated with a visual feeling of cold, low temperatures. We also associate cold as something lifeless, which I attempted to show in my piece. A cold area of the body, being where the woman was hit by bullets, also represents death and decompsition of flesh and body tissue. So much interpretation can go into this piece, and I feel that I'll allow it to be so. People percieve many different things from death and visual pain representations. Overall it was a piece I spent the longest on, using it to improve my color attempts, blending, temperature shifts, and markmaking.



--Artist's Critique--
Probably one of my personal favorite, and best technique wise especially relating to a brand new medium I've never fondly used or try to master. I studied mark makers and color users like Degas and Franz Marc who used color and mark making moreso as expressive tools of movements and symbolic meaning rather than attempting to always achieve the local color of objects. How markmaking can create such visual movement and power in artwork, I've always loved how it was achieved but never thought personally it could be something I could get into that much. I'm hoping this piece was a breakthrough.
Otherwise, my professor was not too crazy about my composition as a whole, which I could agree. Sometimes I get confused in basic art classes as to whether I have the freedom to create my own compositions from what I have to draw from observation and how things are realistically. I started drawing the sculpture perceptually but then discovered it was a creative composition assignment. I probably would have made some better decisions in the early stages, but regardless I enjoyed how it came out regardless.
My color blending even impressed me, especially for a person whos emphasis is printmaking. There were some if not a lot of errors in decision making when it came to the location fo certain colors and temperatures, but overall towards the end I felt I had a good grasp and control of what I wanted and where. I tried to combine some realism of the woman's body with a more expressive body of the child, and I enjoy the combination.

"She's Miss United States"

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Medium(s): Pastels
April 28th, 2009



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USD Drawing II Final Portfolio composition done in about 2 hours time in an assortment of colored pastels. I've been making an artistic topic "move" to gas masks, and all that they can really symbolize and mean, especially in our time.
The gas mask to me personally represents things from a loss of individuality and identity (culturally, socially, and mentally). It can represent, with the loss of mental and cultural individuality and identity, we begin seeking, naturally, the pleasing and acceptance of others. Emmulating what other people want, when we ourselves are unsure of what he want or feel is right, has become almost a base and foundation for social development for people of all ages in this modern world. I relate some art to it because of how much I see it in my everyday life the second someone shows a certain appareance or usually opens their mouth, and how much I'm discusted with it.
I entitled it "She's Miss United States" relating to the event in which the "ideal" women of all over are to compete basically who has the best smile, the best breasts, the best body in a bathing suit, and the most fake mentality a person could have. How many girls are modeling themselves to these people as idols, and the "this is what I have to be in order to be seen as attractive".

The teardrop coming from the gasmask eye symbolizes how behind the curtains and show people put on for us, the more lost they are, the more inside they are dying for a place to feel accepted, regardless of how much it hurts them personally. They hide their true feelings and pain behind their fake identities.
The grusome belly button piercing sort fo symbolizes the body modifications we put our sacred bodies through to "achieve beauty" and attraction, from plastic surgery and breast inplants to pierced penis's and clitoris's. The things people do to themselves because they feel they just can or feel they will be more attractive in someones or society's eyes.
The blood and semen stains between her legs can represent a lot of things, kind of open for interpretation once the viewer understands a basic grasp of the meaning, but I'll explain some things I had in mind. The obvious semen and blood can represent anything between rape to selling their bodies. From prostitution to simply having sex for just pleasure, women have really lost the sacredness and meaning to what makes them special compared to men, and how sacred their wombs really are. How women throw themselves around and at any guy who will have them, or have been talking to him for 2 weeks, or met them at a party drunk, I couldn't be more discusted with when it comes to women in this society and the mentality we seem to have to feel wanted and accepted. Everyone seems to be out on their own and a "every man (or woman) for themself" world, where competition is waiting for us outside our doors in countless ways. Are you going to sell yourself to simply fit in a society in a point in time of the earths history?


--Artist's Critique--
This was one of the first pastel pieces I had taken seriously, and used what i had been learning relating to color and its visual effects relating to chroma and value. Discovering techniques of the pastel itself, color blending, and temperature. With pastel, especially in my Drawing II and Design II classes, I've been learning there are more colors than just an objects local color. Something that may appear black off the bat, may just be, in reality, a mixture of purples, blues, and dark reds. The green of the grass could be a mixture of orange, yellow, some green, purple, etc. I've been trying to use these in my own drawings to create more visually interesting compositions relating to the visual effects of color and color blending and mark making.
Compositionally, I enjoy that her body is not fully shown, some disappears and gives the body a very left-sided radical light source.
Things I would change would be the chroma intensity of her skin. Her skin, for this topic anyway, is too bright, pure, and healthy looking. Also her torso/stomach area to me feels too empty. Something I feel needs to visually be there and not just a plain body.

Franz Marc style self-portrait, paint, project 1 of 2

Drawing II Project (Work in Progress 2)

Further worked on, about 6 more hours of work adding monocramatics. Pastels

Design II: Franz Marc Style Self Portrait WIP

Self portrait of me Chicken dancing in the style of famous Expressionist Franz Marc. Work in Progress

Drawing II Project (Work in Progress)

Drawing 2 pastel assignment WIP, contour line sketch of it so far
Subject: Clay sculpture of African tribal woman in the Fine Arts building

"Militance for Existance"

New song completed - http://www.myspace.com/artivistrationale

Drawing II Midterm Portfolio Strengths

Charcoal Composition using water to spread the media

Inkwash Composition

Inkwash Composition

"Intoxicated Midnight"

http://www.myspace.com/artivistrationale -my song completed

"They say your life is an open scripture,
so unwrap your ignorant ears and seize this picture.
This isn't a composition for ache and love,
its a piece dedicated to sights expanding above.
It's not a universal credence among my people alive,
apparently its just what I suffer inside...

And what I refuse to let hide.

At midnight, you're comatose on the base,
cutting the strands from wisdom grown into place.
Mutilated and reshuffled like a puzzle,
vigor and support, trickster chooses to scuffle.
Your life timer twisting down to its closing stages.
Morality and culture apathetically left in cages.
Revered children eyes are the ill-fated circumstance,
nothing now but a modernized providence.

Look back and see your reason for existence.
To traditionalists you pay forward repentance.
Drunk at midnight, another intoxicated midnight...
Beloved aged principles down the drain at midnight.

Try to picture this reality..

Poison bottles hang silent from tree's piercings.
Sage, sweetgrass and feathers now elapsed things.
The mother's womb weeping stridently from peace.
The sanctified pipe tipped towards the nearest city streets.
With the sniping spider whirling webs of deception,
you're included in his tactics of pretension.
All of this fails to convene your inadequate attention.

Society sculpturing children into a mere replica.
Assimilation raping our lands with a blazing swastika.
Littered drapery shadowing over the branches reachings,
blocking out the warmth of our once daily elders teachings.
Rubbish from the tree cascades and splinters child eyes.
A tipping bottle to drench their now sole disguise.
Their only role models they appeal to suffice.
You keep this soulless ceremony a perpetual motion device.

Look back and see your reason for existence.
To traditionalists you pay forward repentance.
Drunk at midnight, another intoxicated midnight...
Beloved aged principles down the drain at midnight.

They say art doesn't replicate but makes visible,
so unlock your eyes to distinguish what's observable.
They say children have limited ears but constant eyes,
can't value words but your proceedings can't speak lies.
They say from our children we're loaning our traditions,
so make your culture in life an unconditional expedition.
They say children need guidance more than instruction,
so search for profound understanding and start a reconstruction.
They say one generation plants trees, the next gets the shade,
You'll comprehend down the road the alterations you have made.
They say that your life is an open scripture.
The book hasn't closed yet, so paint a new picture."


- - - - - - - - -

A reflective poetic composition in response to my new art piece that's developing, which depicts the effects of alcoholism on children, how it affects their decision making, how culture is slowly being lost because of it, and the etc domino effect. Below I'll re post the poem, and go through each line's symbolism.

"They say your life is an open scripture,
so unwrap your ignorant ears and seize this picture.
This isn't a composition for ache and love,
its a piece dedicated to sights expanding above.
It's not a universal credence among my people alive,
apparently its just what I suffer inside...
And what I refuse to let hide.

At midnight, you're comatose on the base,
cutting the strands from wisdom grown into place. (Relates to a drunk Native man at night, so drunk he has no control over his body, laying on the floor and getting his hair cut by fellow drunks, losing his indigenous identity and purpose for his long hair.)

Mutilated and reshuffled like a puzzle,
vigor and support, trickster chooses to scuffle. (This adds to the effect of losing control of his body, being rearranged and mutilated like a puzzle. His "strength and support", aka the people who love and care for him, "trickster chooses to scuffle", which relates to alcohol itself being a traditional symbol of a trickster spirit having control of his body, and forcing him to scuffle and fight with those who care and try to help him.)

Your life timer twisting down to its closing stages.
Morality and culture apathetically left in cages. (This refers to how life passes by each day, losing chances to do the right thing, and how so much of his culture and morals are left behind him in life, apathetically or "not caring for".)

Revered children eyes are the ill-fated circumstance,
nothing now but a modernized providence. (Children are considered very sacred, for they are the next ones in line to pick up and practice our culture..but their eyes only see this man who is his role model..and instead of being what he should, he becomes a similar figure from nurture. A modernized providence relates back to my previous art piece.)

Look back and see your reason for existence.
To traditionalists you pay forward repentance.
Drunk at midnight, another intoxicated midnight...
Beloved aged principles down the drain at midnight.
Try to picture this reality..

Poison bottles hang silent from tree's piercings. (Refers to beer hanging from the sundance tree, from the ropes attached to piercing skewers for sundancing. Beer bottles are replacing the sundancers to symbolize how many have lost their way.)
Sage, sweetgrass and feathers now elapsed things.
The mother's womb weeping stridently from peace. (Traditional beliefs view the sweatlodge as the womb of the earth, from which we go in to purify ourselves and pray. She weeps loudly from the peace and silence, because people are no longer entering the sweat lodges to conduct loud singing ceremonies.)

The sanctified pipe tipped towards the nearest city streets. (The most sacred medicine pipe, smoked during sweat lodge ceremonies is usually placed on a rack outside the lodge facing east, but instead points aimlessly to the city to which we now spend most our time.)

With the sniping spider whirling webs of deception,
you're included in his tactics of pretension. (Again the spider is referenced as a trickster spirit, making webs of deception against our own people, keeping them off the good road.)

All of this fails to convene your inadequate attention.

Society sculpturing children into a mere replica.
Assimilation raping our lands with a blazing swastika. (How children grow up looking more to modern American/Canadian society standards rather than their cultural protocols, comparing this reason to the assimilation that has taken place since the invasion and take over of Euros.)

Littered drapery shadowing over the branches reachings,
blocking out the warmth of our once daily elders teachings. (This refers to my artpiece, which shows the U.S. and Canadian flag draped over the sundance tree in a littering rubbish fashion, to symbolize many things including the attack on Indigenous spiritual practices, and what the supermacies have done to effect how we practice them now.)

Rubbish from the tree cascades and splinters child eyes.
A tipping bottle to drench their now sole disguise.
Their only role models they appeal to suffice.
You keep this soulless ceremony a perpetual motion device. (This refers to the bottles and cans hanging from the sundance ropes off the tree, symbolizing the constant exposure and pressure to go to alcohol to solve their issues and emotional stresses. Also again referring to the role model figures they have in their lives doing this, subconsciously teaching them to do the same..kinda the "leading by example" thing. The last line symbolizes this constant domino effect it has throughout generations.)

Look back and see your reason for existence.
To traditionalists you pay forward repentance.
Drunk at midnight, another intoxicated midnight...
Beloved aged principles down the drain at midnight.

They say art doesn't replicate but makes visible,
so unlock your eyes to distinguish what's observable.
They say children have limited ears but constant eyes,
can't value words but your proceedings can't speak lies. (Children aren't always listening, but are always watching, so make sure you're aware of who is looking up to you and the actions you are showing them.)
They say from our children we're loaning our traditions,
so make your culture in life an unconditional expedition.
They say children need guidance more than instruction,
so search for profound understanding and start a reconstruction. (A call to end this domino effect and return to our culture.)
They say one generation plants trees, the next gets the shade,
You'll comprehend down the road the alterations you have made.
They say that your life is an open scripture.
The book hasn't closed yet, so paint a new picture." (It isn't too late to make changes, even if its just one person and child's life you change positively..make the change.)