
Totem Spirits

by Omaste Witkowski
Title
Totem Spirits
Artist
Omaste Witkowski
Medium
Painting - Digital Photographs
Description
How many spirits reside in totem poles. I feel like I have expressed one here. What has it seen and where did it come from and where is it going? So much that we don't know and yet if you look closely you will get some answers.
"The totem poles of the Pacific Northwest of North America feature many different designs (bears, birds, frogs, people, and various supernatural beings and aquatic creatures) that function as crests of families or chiefs. They recount stories owned by those families or chiefs, and/or commemorate special occasions." Wikipedia
This painting started as a photograph of a piece of glass artwork created by Garth Mudge of Glassworks in Winthrop, Wa. It was taken with a Macro lens and is a very small section of the overall object. The colors are vivid and alive due to the way that I am illuminating the glass art as I am taking the picture. In a way I am photographing the light as it passes through the object.
In this particular photograph I have gone in by hand and painted over the original image. Adding my own textures and visions to the shapes and colors I started with.
I have been a professional photographer for many years but it is only recently that I have been photographing glass at any level. It is such an exciting experience to discover these images. I almost feel like an archeologist as I explore a small hidden word and reveal the treasures within.
Uploaded
February 28th, 2013
Embed
Share