Description

Number twenty-five.
Wood burning, found-wood, painting, stone, and metal

“Someone beat me to the pile of gorgeous red barn boards, but left behind were the remnants of a very old house with chunks of horse-hair plaster, square nails, and patterned wallpaper. Underneath the pile was the partial remains of a vintage trunk. This Spirit Shield has a piece of rust stained wood from that trunk enhanced with one of its metal decorations. A Lake Michigan pebble compliments the small painted dots in the background creating a fun interplay of round shapes with linear elements.” -Jan Jahnke

Jan Jahnke, former instructor at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. Influenced by her studies in Ojibwe spiritual culture, Jahnke invokes impressions of the earth and that which has passed before us. Color schemes are created using water based paint, stain, and carving on wood and have a surprising amount of texture. Each piece within the Spirit Shield series holds found material to solidify our relation to that which has existed before, and the artist hopes to convey a sense of protection. Pieces are left unframed to allow a more tangible connection to the work.

Pieces measure approximately 30 inches in diameter