VISION OF POWER
THUNDERBIRD AND TWO-HEADED SERPENT

These two prints are derived from images engraved on sheep horn rattles rather than spindle whorls, yet the repetition of form and balance between positive and negative spaces seen in the earlier works remain the same. In Vision of Power, the repeated profile forms of birds and fish create a dynamic flow both into and out of the composition. When viewed as a whole, the oval form that is created by these elements suggests a human face. This suggests the intricate relationship shared by these beings and humans. The ability of animals to transform into humans is widely represented in Northwest Coast art. Thunderbird and Two-Headed Serpent depicts two supernatural beings that were known to many cultures of the Northwest Coast. The central Thunderbird image, in profile, is surrounded by the thin body of the Two-Headed Serpent, articulated by elongated, red trigons that are echoed in the feathers of the Thunderbird's body. Again, repetition of pattern and sweeping, curving motion bring this image to life.

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