THE RED ROAD

As spoken by Oglala Sioux medicine man, Black Elk, to be on The Red Road is to embody the Seven Sacred Virtues of the Lakota: 

Wóčhekiya : Prayer

Wičákha : Honesty

Wahwala : Humility

Waúnšila : Compassion

Waóhola : Respect

Wawokiye : Generosity

Wóksape : Wisdom

When I discovered the Medicine Wheel and The Red Road, I exhaled. The way it depicted the flow and balance of life, the interconnectedness of all beings, the elements and their unique gifts… it all just seemed to make sense to me. It quickly became my centerline, the lens I now see life through.

This exhibition is an expression of my reverence for this Native American wisdom and its impact on me. Secondly, it is an invitation into my way of perceiving and contemplating these virtues and their role in my life.

. . .

Using recycled fabric from Cleveland fashion designer, William Frederick, I designed and cut abstract interpretations of each virtue.

These shapes are called bahboos: mystical beings who embody Spirit in its most ethereal aspects—androgynous and deeply mysterious.

Custom, solid walnut frames symbolize our earthly existence, while layers of filtered beeswax and soy wax represent the heavenly realms I visit often in meditation.

These works hang as a mirror, encouraging us all to examine our unique contribution to universal harmony as threads woven in and through the fabric of life.