Jaguar Shaman

Jaguar Shaman
Serti Technique on Silk
 
I'm inspired by Mayan Hieroglyphs and Maya Art. Jaguar, power, dance, and transformation are symbolized in the painting where a Maya lord takes the shape of his animal self or 'uay' a Jaguar. His belt holds the symbol of heaven and jade beads.
 
The Jaguar was the most revered animal in Mesoamerica, played an essential role in the Maya religion, and was an entranced Shamanic creature. With its power and grace, the Jaguar held the top position in the food chain, and this supremacy was greatly admired and sought after.
 
In states of ritual transformation, humans changed themselves into jaguars from at least Olmec times onward. Kings, chiefs, and shamans often wore pelts, sandals, and headdresses from the Jaguar. Necklaces of jade beads in the shape of jaguar teeth and stone thrones often took the form of the Jaguar.
 
A partial glyph on a vase from the “Altar de Sacrificios” from the Maya Late Classic Period (600 – 900 AD) inspired my silk painting. In my interpretation, I sought to create the feeling of a painting on the wall of a temple. My choice of greens and the technique I used in the background was to evoke the sense of aged stone and moss - and to represent jade. Jade (jadeite) is associated with life and renewal of life and is the most important stone in the Maya culture.
 
Original painting on silk 24" x 30"
 
Technical Details
Printed using a museum-quality giclée process with archival pigmented inks on fine art paper or canvas
With proper care, prints are designed to retain their color and detail for decades
Paper and rolled canvas prints ship in reinforced protective tubes
Stretched canvas prints ship flat
Images shown online are watermarked; your print will arrive without watermarks
Rolled canvas is available for collectors who prefer custom framing or stretching, and for oversized works