Mary Krebs Smyth
"In Honor of Takutsi Nakawe, Huichol Goddess of Creation"
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| (Photos by Patrick Fraser) |
To the Huichol Indians of western Mexico, feathers are an integral part of their altars, where they petition the Gods for balance in the universe. This resonated with me as a Libra for whom keeping the scales aligned has often been an issue. The image of the feather also conjures up thoughts of flight, freedom from worldly cares, connecting with the heavens, and escape through the creative process in the arts.
My boots and their embellishments have all been totally reconfigured from their original state. A friend gave me a pair of vintage deep pink knee-high suede boots, which were shortened, gessoed, painted. They were also decorated with re-constructed jewelry, grommets, beads, fiber, paper, yarn, and natural dyed feathers. The colors reflect not only the influence of Indian cultures, but also my memory of a wonderful spiritual and creative period I spent in Sedona and Taos a number of years ago.