Calling all fishermen

I love the water and fish in almost equal measure. This painting was inspired by a long winded native California story that starred loon woman as one of the characters. Think it was Achowami or Modoc not sure. The picture in my mind occurred in synchronous time as when friend Brucey sent me a book titled Power by Linda Hogan. The setting of the book is out in the Florida swamps where the anhinga bird aka water turkey hunts with its spear of a beak. And the vision had long fluttered through the canals of my ears nose and throat with the sounds of the kingfisher in the botanical garden by the ponds.

The whole general premise is that animals and nature are endowed of consciousness, and the spirit force that is in all the universe is the bond and agreement that binds us together. If there is respect and reciprocity then the fertility of the earth will be maintained. And there will be a cornucopia of diversity and abundance. If we don’t do our part, she will pull back her gifts. Then, we will be uprooted, lost, and without our animal and plant kin as relations. Basically we are excommunicated from the webbed, branched, water infused clan that is the tree of life.

The painting is at a fishermen’s conference where the birds all come together to discuss the state of fish. And the sea, the rivers, the lakes and springs all chime in. The birds bring their offerings and put them in a basket. They sing and chat, gamble and play, and dream up what is to come. I bet they are seeing thick schools of gleaming flopping silver, tranquil mangrove bays and inlets that serve as baby fish nurseries, muddy tidal flats chock of puffing sand-spitting breathing holes, hide and seeking clams and shrimp, and deep waters gushing streams of plankton off of a rocky ledge.

Calling all fishermen. Ante up!