What do you see in this spontaneous drawing? I draw first and find meaning later, so you can’t be wrong.
Totem
© Katherine McDaniel, 2014
This drawing is entitled Totem because of its vague resemblance to Native American totems, signs that embody spiritual attributes of a clan, tribe or family. It is what I call a spontaneous drawing, in which I let myself construct something with no prior plan. My goal is to keep my consciousness from shaping the piece as I am drawing it, allowing things below the surface of my thoughts to seep out. Even if I fail, I may still come out with something interesting that I can dissect later.
My understanding of this quirky little piece changes with time. Today I’m interpreting it as an homage to spirits of motion on land, in water and in air, because I see horses, fish, dirigibles and birds all mixed up together. Tomorrow it may hint at something completely different. I’d love to know what you see.
