According to Henry Weibe in his book

Myth, Religion and Ritual : The Subversive Artist, the artistic practice is synonymous with a religious one. Weibe states that the creation and consumption of art is "for the soul's sake," and that art holds power because it is ubiquitous with ritual, which is one of the conditions of our humanity. 

Wiebe also states that “…poets and artists are the source, the creators of life sustaining visions. They suggest, they set forth, they pattern life, provide its meaning, its possibilities, and its imperative. They are "dream makers." He suggests, "An artist is a dreamer consenting to dream of the actual world."

At this time there is a new cultural space that is being created where individuals are moving away from organized religion while also rejecting the nihilism of modernity. This religious mutation and combination of secular ideals is resulting in a new community of people who are engaged with an spiritually based ethics of responsibility towards the world and environment at large, without a concrete thesis of a particular religious practice. 

If we move away from following a major religion, and instead apply our spirituality to an artistic practice, art can begin to hold a place of deep meaning and ritualized transformation. In this way art can function as a life shaping force, having to do with the way life is lived, the way morality is chosen and expressed, and the way myth is created and explored. Artists can become creators of visions, with the capacity to pattern life. By using religious space as a model for spiritual practice and transformative change, artists have the capacity to take ideas and concepts from various worldwide spiritual spaces and make something that is unique to a personal practice. 

I love this quote from Eva Lewarne in her paper Artists as Shamans in Contemporary Society; ”In making art, the artist breathes herself out to allow the breathing in of universal air, intelligent with many minds, alive with energy. Artist, shape-shifter, shaman or poet, all are lovers of metamorphosis, all are capable of visions, insights and dreams. Real artists have taken up the role of the shaman in our times. Possibly because both art and shamanism use the realm of metaphor where feeling is expressed and where healing happens. With metaphoric vision, empathy flows, knowing no borders. Both artist and shaman create harmony within an individual, and between the individual and the wider environment, a way of thinking essential for life, which we have almost forgotten about in our pursuit of money and technology and power."

With this in mind, there are three parts in which I could categorize the similarities between religious and artistic practice. The Ritual, the Artifact, and the Temple. 

Ritual

One the key aspects of spiritual practice is the capacity to change your state through two things - the repetition of action, and the creation of space sacred through our attention and presence.

Repetition reinforces the principles of practice and helps solidify it in the body of someone again and again. It is a returning to the historical knowledge of our ancestors, a carrying forward of the power by continually repeating the act and thus changing ourselves. The call to Mosque, going to church on Sunday, praying before dinner, religious holidays, offerings to your ancestors, these are all things that enforce our belief and help us stay connected to the sacred.

The act of focusing our attention and presence can be brought about in many ways and helps us change our state so we can connect. The drawing of the pagan circle, stressing the body, rites of passage, traditional ritual dress, praying, all of these things are essential to the core of spiritual practice in traditional religion.

These two actions completely blanket the entirety of artistic practice and the engagement with art. Every artist has a repetitive practice in the type of materials and subject matter they use. And each art piece seeks to change the state of the viewer through focusing attention and presence.

Artifact

The artifact is a sacred object that holds power either from contagion magic or iconic power. The law of Contagion is a folk belief that suggests that once two people or objects have been in contact, there is a magical link that persists between them. The object therefore, has the designation of "producing" the person or the person's spirit.

In the art world the effect is similar. The art object is a powerful thing that the viewer can use to connect to the power of the artists vision even when the artist isn’t there. An artwork that has been hand created by the artist holds more power and value than an replica, even if the two are visually identical. The "spirit' of the artist is present in the artwork even if the artist isn't there, or even is long dead.

Temple

Of course we can’t talk about spiritual space without the discussion of the temple. A temple is a place specifically reserved for religious activities like prayer, sacrifice or ritualistic rites. It is a space of worship and is found in almost all religions, whether it takes the form of a permanent structure, a building used occasionally, or a temporary circle drawn in the sand.

Art galleries or artistic sites are spaces that are meant for the exhibition of art. They can be either private or public and are intended to display various art forms. The role of these sites often tend to be in the validation of the artwork, but they also create a container for participants to come into the sacred and connect with something greater than themselves. The silence, the reverence and the contemplation is paramount in these zones and allows the message of the artwork to sink deeper into the body of the viewer.

Personally, the themes in my own work often coalesce around the creation of this new type of religious space, which I feel is indicative of an upcoming generation. I'm seeing a new wave of individuals arise who are focused on the universal truths of spirituality, rather than practicing established religion. My practice is therefore interested in experimenting with taking established ritual and religion and creating new spiritual spaces. Practicing as somewhat of a religious poacher, I take ideas and concepts from various worldwide religious spaces and make something that is unique to a new generation. 

Focusing on ideas of relationships, community, and environmental responsibility, I seek to create performative acts, religious spaces and ritual objects that help elicit change. I believe that for me, the artistic practice is synonymous with a religious one, and I think that art holds power because it is ubiquitous with ritual, which is one of the conditions of our humanity. Using performance, object making, and community involvement, my practice focuses on the creation of stories and myth which parallel our current societal space, yet create new ways in which society can relate to others and the environment. Through small actions, and a dialogue around societal change, I seek to change the structure of the system through new shamanistic actions.

If you liked these mediation feathers, they’ll soon be listed in my shop!

I’m so grateful to have made an installation again! Thank you so much to Terra BURNa for creating the space for me to try out this installation.

My Story

For those of you who don’t know, for almost 15 years, my main artistic job was as an installation artist for festivals. I used to travel around to events and create spiritual and wellness spaces. 

Festivals and transformational events have my heart. I grew up in a pretty messed-up family with extremely challenging dynamics. Creativity wasn't a valid career and self-expression wasn't encouraged. I left home young and confused.

Pretty soon after I left home I ended up getting into the rave scene. Back in the day raves were different than they were now. They were full of creatives, homemade decor, and deep connections. That scene eventually turned into the transformation festival scene and from there I found my true family.

This was a family that desired a deeper connection to the world around them through presence, connections, music, yoga, mediation, and art. I grew up in that world, and because of those experiences got deep into my spiritual practice. Through years of yoga, meditation, divination, and beautiful relationships, I learned how to manifest a life that looked like my dreams.

Because of this festival upbringing, I started traveling and setting up installations around North America. I focused on creating transformational spaces where people could enter an area and participate in a ritual or practice to help them connect to the universe around them. 

However, as all of you know, a year and a half ago everything changed. A pandemic hit the world that gutted our capacity to gather in community. My job as an installation artist went up in smoke, and I began to focus more on what you see now, my clothing and stained glass practice. 

I thought that I was fine with this transition for myself. I had been on the road for so many years and I was pretty burnt out on it. However it’s now been two full seasons off, and I find myself itching for it again. 

Why I love Installation Art

There’s something I love so much about creating installation art. It’s hard to describe what it feels like to walk into a space and be surrounded by an incredible environment that will disappear in a couple of hours or days.

For me, my art practice is the way I give back to the world. My creativity is my divine spark that I hope to share. I don't follow a major religion, but instead apply my spirituality to artistic practice, because for me art holds a place of deep meaning and ritualized transformation.

I try to use religious space as a model for spiritual practice and transformative change, taking ideas and concepts from various worldwide spiritual spaces to make something unique to a new type of spiritual practice.

I’ve found that when you create sacred spaces it immediately creates that energy for those who enter. I’ve called my installations “temples,” (see here!) for years because the intention is to bring out the energy of connection to something deeper than ourselves. 

I also believe that spiritual practice should be fluid and in touch with the world around it. Ephemeral installations fit this model. I can create something that speaks to the community I’m working with, that can change with feedback and each install. 

There’s also something so beautiful about surrounding someone with art they don’t have to pay for and can’t really buy. It’s so rare in this day and age to not have money as part of the interaction. It’s really special to be able to gift an experience and expect nothing back. 

"Trust" installation

Hanging feathers as an installation was something I had in my head for a  long time. I love the glass feathers I’ve been making over the last couple of years. Each one is so unique and I love every one of them.

At the beginning of this stained glass journey, I never expected feathers to be such a large part of what I create. But people love them and keep asking me to make more! I desire to serve others, so I’m ecstatic to keep making tools that work for people.

It was a little nerve-wracking having them outside in the wind since 45 feathers equal about a hundred hours of work. They’re all so precious, I was worried about them getting broken, or even the whole thing falling from the sky! 

But it worked amazing! The feathers were heavy enough that they didn’t swing around and hit each other in the wind. The rainbow makers bounced light all around and they looked completely different depending on the time of day and where the sun was. It was beautiful to see them outside. 

I also brought out the “Divine Support,” Winged Kuan Yin statue with Moonstone and Labradorite. Kuan Yin is a bodhisattva, a being that has forgone the bliss of nirvana to stay in the realm of Earth to support anyone that calls on her. She approaches each situation with mercy, kindness, and compassion. 

There was also an altar and a couple of shade stars from the Halcyon Temple installation, which to this day is still one of my favorites. There was a beautifully printed canvas where you could sit and watch the feathers or meditate. 

The whole thing made up the “Trust,” installation, a meditation space that was focused on the concept of being supported by the Divine. Many believe that celestial beings are around to protect us, guide us, and help us in our times of need. 

Whether you believe this or not, the idea that there is a divine order to the universe can help us relax and trust in something greater than ourselves. I wanted the installation to be a comforting reminder that there is something much greater than us, that is taking care of us, keeping us safe, and listening to us when we have no one to turn to. 

I think this first iteration of the installation was successful, although if I installed it again I would add more feathers! The thing about having art outside is that everything looks small. I would love to be able to double the number of feathers hanging in the sky. 

Thanks All! 

I do believe that art has the power to shift the universe. It's the reason that I commit myself to creation every day. By creating the world I want to see I'm helping move us towards healed and healthy spaces. 

To each and every one of you, thank you so much for however you participate in this process with me. I have been so honored by every beautiful and positive interaction I’ve had. 

I truly believe that the purpose of this life is to connect deeply and make the world a better place. When we all participate in beautiful interactions with each other, we do both. 

So much love, and maybe I’ll see you at a “Trust,” installation sometime in the future! 

Feathers are one of the oldest universal symbols. There has always been a magic to them that makes people believe in the impossible, and in doing so, connects us to the world of spirit and transcendence. 

When I started my stained glass meditation line, I didn’t intend for feathers to be such a big part of my offerings. But over time I got asked to make them more and more. Clients connected with the symbol of the feather in a deeper way than other symbols.

When something deeply resonates with you, it’s important to follow that feeling. Your personal spiritual practice is all about you and whatever intuitively helps you connect to the universal truth around you. When it comes it your personal life, you don’t need to justify why something feels good to use when you’re using it in a private way.

However, something that can be helpful is to learn more about WHY a symbol resonates, and through research and learning, you can deepen your practice and truly utilize the power of the symbol. 

Feathers Throughout History

Feathers have been an important symbol for most communities around the world. Humans have long been enchanted by the creatures that have the freedom to fly through the sky, so most cultures have some sort of mythology around the feather.

It’s hard to do justice to all of the various tribes, religions, and nations around the world because there are so many variations and it’s not fair to lump them all in with one another. Each community uniquely uses feathers, but the general connecting thread seems to be that feathers designate status and a connection to a magical power. 

Feathers are generally worn, kept in a sacred place, or ingested. Historically, those who could access the power of feathers were often trained in doing so or had enough status in the community that they were allowed to be the keepers of that magic. 

In ancient Greece, specific birds held the power of the gods, and using the feather would help you call them. The peacock is one good example, an animal that was created out of Hera’s watchman, the hundred-eyed giant Argus. The peacock is also sacred in India, where it is worn and ingested to combat various illnesses and gain strength.

In ancient Egypt, the feather was the ultimate symbol of judging worthiness. To be admitted into the Field of Reeds, (the Egyptian version of heaven), you had to pass a trial by Osiris, the Judge of the Dead. He would weigh your heart against The Feather of Truth. Anyone whose heart was not as light as this feather would not be admitted into the afterlife. 

Many tribes in South America would use the feathers of birds in their traditional medications, as well as wearing them on their body after gaining them through spiritual rites of passage. There are also tribes with hunting rituals, where a community member is sent out into the forest on a quest to capture a specific bird to gain the power of that animal. 

In the United Kingdom, many clans would use feathers to signify authority within the clan. In Scotland for example, clan chiefs were allowed to wear three feathers, chieftains could wear two and armigers could wear one. Anyone who had not gained status in the community through legitimate means wasn’t allowed to wear feathers as part of their garb. 

In European pagan traditions, the feather is also a source of power and connection with a magical realm. In several traditions, the colors of the feathers are important and designate different types of powers that come from that feather. Feathers are kept on altars, or burned or ground into mixtures to use in spell casting.

In Africa, feathers have been used as self-adornment by many tribes to designate status and power. The most colorful plumes were hunted as decoration and a show of strength to other clans. The ostrich feather in particular was used to designate luxury and vitality. When colonialists arrived in Africa and saw the use of this feather it was sought after and became synonymous with luxury in the West, with massive detriment to African ostrich populations and the clans that used them.

In North America, many different tribes of Natives use feathers as religious objects. In certain tribes, a warrior was awarded a feather when he was brave in battle. In other traditions, feathers that naturally fell to the Earth contained the bird’s energy and were seen as a gift from the natural world. Each type of feather represented something different.

An Important Check-In

Before I go on and tell you about why I create feathers, I do need to address something extremely important, and that’s the issue of cultural appropriation. Cultural appropriation is a very complex and difficult topic, and if you would like to engage deeper with what it is, I’ve written a more in-depth blog post HERE. 

I’m bringing this issue up because as someone who currently lives in North America, I’m well aware that for many people here, the symbol of the feather deeply connects with the tradition of the use of feathers in Native spirituality. Although my use of the feather symbology does not connect to this tradition, many people will assume that interaction because of where I’m located in the world.  

I want to talk about cultural appropriation because everyone needs to understand the horrible impact of our colonialist history. This topic is extremely complex, but the more we try to have humble and present conversations about why it’s so damaging, the closer we get to healing. 

In North America in the 80s, caucasian communities were deep in the governmental process of trying to forcefully assimilate Indigenous people to a Western way of life, denying them any right to land, language, communities, and spiritual artifacts.

At the same time, the New Age movement began to see Native American spirituality as something to be desired and began producing objects that badly mimicked their tradition. During a time that Westerners were profiting off of these objects, there were still laws all across North America that banned Native Americans from even owning their spiritual artifacts, let alone selling them. 

While Natives could get punished for having a single feather in their home, Caucasians could happily buy and sell these objects with no repercussions. And while I may not be personally responsible for the atrocities that led to the world’s current racial climate, those who are white are still benefiting from this history.

I want to be clear that I did not start making glass feathers to mimic a Native tradition in any way. I am not trained to use any type of Native tradition involving feathers, and my experience with the feather as a symbol did not come out of it. Although I am not trying to profit from those traditions, I do want to take this moment to acknowledge that as a person with white skin I have the privilege to engage with things in a way that others still do not.

While I did not commit the crimes of my caucasian ancestors, I am responsible to help clean up the mess. As a privileged person, and as a thinking, caring citizen, I will always ensure that I try my very best, while humbly admitting that I will likely always fail. 

At the same time, I don’t want to shy away from these loaded symbols or topics, because I think that there are incredible things to be learned from these universal tools. While it’s impossible to get through this life without accidentally harming others, I think it would be even more detrimental to not engage with powerful facets of spirituality because we are lost in our shame. 

Why I Make Feathers

I was a super quiet kid who grew up in an abusive and fundamental religious home. While certain traditional religious spaces may be very healing for people, the particular space I was raised in was dysfunctional and damaging. 

Because my home life was very challenging, I tended to be in nature as much as I possibly could. I knew nothing of spirituality except for an angry and violent God, but when I was in nature I felt connected and okay. I would spend as much time as I could be fascinated with the world around me.

Feathers in particular held me in complete rapture. When I would find them on the ground I would hold them in complete awe, staring for hours at the spines and colors. I was blown away by the idea of flying away from my lot in life and would constantly imagine myself with wings.

I became fascinated with birds of all kinds and I began to believe that crows were following me to protect me all the time. (Maybe they were!) Every feather I fell in love with got added to my collection, along with all the rocks I was obsessed with. I had no idea why at the time, but both of these things held great power for me.

I had always felt connected to the world around me, nature was one of the only places I felt a sense of peace and being part of something greater. As I grew I started seeking out traditions that I could practice that would deepen my spirituality and sense of connection. 

Along my journey, I spent time learning in a Wiccan coven. Wicca is a nature-oriented religion with practices derived from pre-Christian religious beliefs. Originating in the United Kingdom, its tenants are ritual magic, respect for nature, and worship of a goddess and other deities.

My experience in that particular space ended up being just as rigid and problematic as many other traditions. There were some practices I could not in good faith abide by, but there were others that resonated with me powerfully and I still use today. 

The allowance to worship nature as a deity in this tradition was massively healing for me. It connected so deeply with what I had felt as a child and validated my feelings that nature could be just as holy and nourishing as any other form of Deity.

This context of new spiritual creation underlies the entirety of my art practice. The belief that we are capable of making space sacred through our attention and presence has lived with me through all my creations and is now the central focus. 

I feel that for me art and religion are synonymous. They both provide a way of understanding ourselves and comparing our experiences with others. Both focus on creating a vision and greater connection to the world in general, and it is through this connection that I hope to make a difference in the whole.

How To Use Your Feather

For me, the feather will always hold the same type of power as I felt as I child. It connects me to a magical realm and makes me believe in the impossible. I still pick up and keep feathers I find in nature, and I love that I get to re-create their energy in glass. 

Every culture had its way of engaging with the energy of the feather, but the linking factor is that the magic of the bird gets felt through the feather. Even though we are in an era where we can understand and master the power of flight, we should still let the magic of the symbol help us feel connected to this miracle. 

It is important that when we engage with this symbol that we are aware of its historical implications, and that we are conscious of the ethics of the objects we have in our spiritual practice. Items that are obtained through damaging other cultures, produced with unethical labor, or through harming creatures, will carry that energy into your practice. 

So when you feel a connection to an item that resonates with you, meditate on the type of energy you receive from it. Does this feather give you a sense of calm, of power, of possibility? If it comes from a specific bird, research its qualities and what you can learn from it! If it comes from a cultural space that’s willing to share their practices with you, connect with people from that culture who can teach you!

We use symbols that have been used for eons because they do hold power. The feather is a powerful symbol. If it’s something that resonates with you, I encourage you to begin to research ways that the use of feather magic can be right for you! 

"Why should we live with such hurry and waste of life? We are determined to be starved before we are hungry."

"We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aids, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn, which does not forsake us in our soundest sleep. I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor. It is something to be able to paint a particular picture, or to carve a statue, and so to make a few objects beautiful; but it is far more glorious to carve and paint the very atmosphere and medium through which we look, which morally we can do. To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts. Every man is tasked to make his life, even in its details, worthy of the contemplation of his most elevated and critical hour. If we refused, or rather used up, such paltry information as we get, the oracles would distinctly inform us how this might be done.

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion. For most men, it appears to me, are in a strange uncertainty about it, whether it is of the devil or of God, and have somewhat hastily concluded that it is the chief end of man here to glorify God and enjoy him forever.

Still we live meanly, like ants; though the fable tells us that we were long ago changed into men; like pygmies we fight with cranes; it is error upon error, and clout upon clout, and our best virtue has for its occasion a superfluous and evitable wretchedness. Our life is frittered away by detail. An honest man has hardly need to count more than his ten fingers, or in extreme cases he may add his ten toes, and lump the rest. Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumb-nail. In the midst of this chopping sea of civilized life, such are the clouds and storms and quicksands and thousand-and-one items to be allowed for, that a man has to live, if he would not founder and go to the bottom and not make his port at all, by dead reckoning, and he must be a great calculator indeed who succeeds. Simplify, simplify."

Henry David Thoreau

Walden

Wilder Publications; Reprint edition (2008)