Anita Luvera Mayer
"Woman of Red Wing"
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| (Photos by Cindy Kuo) | |
My purse was inspired by the flocks of red wing blackbirds that visited our feeder throughout the year. It was the color that fascinated and excited me—the unexpected flash of red hidden behind shiny black. The black for me symbolizes aging and death; yet combined with the red blood of menses, life.
I saw the layers of feathers as layers that women often hide behind. Underneath is the red of joy, anger and celebration. A bird is free to fly unrestrained; to migrate back to its origins. Women today are a continuation of the generations before, and we carry within us the knowledge and intuition of that heritage. We, too, are exploring this world, much likes birds fly free. At the same time, we honor and cherish our family roots as well as our connections to other women.