Mountain Sheep
Among most Native American tribes, all important plants and animals, as
well as forces of nature like wind and rain, had their own distinct
spirit. Typically, such spirits could manifest themselves in their
native form or in human form. Thus, if Bear Spirit wanted to appear in a
vision or dream it could assume either bear or human form. This concept
of transformation has been central to many of the prints I have made
since I started working in the silkscreen medium.
Among Southwestern tribes such nature spirits are often phrased as “Kachinas”,
or as the Navajo know them, “Yei”. In my Canyon Spirits series I have
developed a generalized human figure that, like the Kachina, represents
the human form that a particular plant or animal spirit can take.
Some years ago I was visiting Bonita Creek Canyon with some
archaeologist friends when a herd of mountain sheep came down one side
of the canyon and crossed the road to get to Bonita Creek. Because they
had not been hunted for many years those sheep passed within ten yards
of our motionless vehicle, stopping for a while to look us over. I
recall that occasion in this print of the Mountain Sheep Spirit.