Bead by bead Nancy Luis weaves a story through her Spirit Catchers that are a twist on traditional Dream Catchers.
Luis still uses wire, sinew, leather and beads for her creations, however she says her work “is more about the stories of the animals that I create. It’s about the environment and what it means to be a turtle spirit [for example],” said Luis, Aboriginal Creeations.
She says her intricate creations are filled with deep spiritual meaning — the beads and their placements, two souls meeting, or the Medicine Wheel, accompanied by semi-precious stones and a prayer.
“The Medicine Wheel is all about balance, physical, mental, emotional, spiritual,” said Luis.
“I wove it into the bear [because] we need balance in our forests and our whole ecological system … balance for Mother Earth and the bears and the whole environment.”
Each piece Louis creates is accompanied by a story that dives deeper into the the animal it resembles.
“[Some are] speaking to mankind, some are about my own belief in afterlife, soulmates, I believe that we live different lifetimes. And then some are about what it means to be the animal spirit because every animal represents a different strength. Like the eagle is powerful and protective, the bear is intuitive and motherly, the turtle is creative.”
Luis is showcasing her works of art around the valley at arts and craft markets. For more information about Luis and her work visit her website www.dreamcatchersbynancya.com