Who doesn't like winter comfort? Keeping warm in the embrace of what loves us, while the snow feathers down and stars sparkle like ice chips in the winter sky. This new drum from the Journey Oracle is painted with just a few strokes of black iron oxide, cobalt blue and titanium zircon silicate raw earth pigments.
The mother bear's head was always in my view, even as the drum was drying. Her eye seemed to watch me from the first stiffening of the Cortes Island blacktail deer hide.
I thought I was going to paint a strong male bear striding across the frame drum surface. As soon as I made out the bear's head I spent some time researching Ursa Major, the Great Beat constellation that contains the Big Dipper, one of the most recognized patterns in the night sky.
It was in honor of the great bear that I tied a double Pentacle into the back of the drum, thinking this was a drum for the stars. This complicated pattern of over and under weaving became even more intricate when the hitching was added with smoke tanned leather.
Imagine my surprise when the little cub appeared.
The bear is the Oracle of winter in our Canadian north. Heralding its onset by withdrawing into warm darkness to bring forth new life. Appearing in the first spring thaw with new energy to nurture and protect.
As we approach the heart of Winter on February 2nd, may we all be warm and safe as we nurture new energy and projects for the coming spring.
You can listen to this 17" frame drum being played with a felted drumstick by clicking on this youtube link: https://youtu.be/642ywYgyIWI.
If this is your drum please go to my webstore for purchase and shipping information.
