This is a hand-carved large black and white linocut print of SkyWoman, inspired by the Haudenosaunee (Native American) folktale about the original woman who falls from the sky retold by Robin Wall Kimmerer in her bestseller book Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants. This artwork includes SkyWoman in my imagination alongside Native North American wildflowers, herbs and plants including: California Poppy, Cattails, Echinacea, Elderberries, Maple seeds, Mesquite, Dandelion, Prickly Pear Cactus, Valerian, and Wild Rose.

MATERIALS: It is printed with Caligo Safewash (non-toxic) Relief Ink on either Hosho paper, a traditional heritage paper handmade in Japan; or Lokta paper a wildcrafted, handmade paper made from natural materials from Nepal. The main aesthetic difference between these two papers is: hosho is bright white, smoother, slightly heavier weight paper, whereas Lokta is off-white, with a more rustic feel and much lighter weight paper.

SIZES & COLORS:

The print size is 18” x 24” and the paper size ranges from 20”-21” width - 25-27” length

STORY DETAILS:

SkyWoman falls from the sky with a bundle of branches, fruits and seeds clutched in her hand. As she hurtles downwards, all the creatures realize there is no earth for her to land on... so the geese fly beneath her to break her fall. Nearing the water below, the Loons, Otters, Beavers and Fish of all kinds dive to the bottom of the ocean to try to find some dirt for her to land on but it is far too deep. Only Muskrat is able to reach the bottom and brings a handful of mud to the surface which he spreads over the back of Turtle for SkyWoman to land on. SkyWoman is so moved by the extraordinary gifts of the animals, she scatters the seeds she had brought and carefully tends each one until Turtle’s back turns into a lush landscape abundant with plants and fruits for all to enjoy which we now call Turtle Island, or North America (and also synonymous with Mother Earth). Though this story is ancient, I love how relevant it still is for us today when thinking about ways to relate to the earth and each other with reciprocity and respect.

GIFT IDEAS:

This would make a wonderful gift for an earth-goddess lover, someone who spends a lot of time in nature, someone who appreciates the divine feminine, and native North American flora and fauna. This would also be a wonderful gift for someone inspired by Robin Wall Kimmerer's book Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants.

PACKAGING: This print will be carefully rolled in Kraft paper, packed in a recycled clear bag and shipped in a recycled cylindrical tube. A one-page insert including a description of the folktale is included with the print. Gift wrap is possible, please mention it in your note to seller.

SHIPPING: All my prints are packaged and shipped out within 1-3 business days. This print has free shipping for U.S. Customers, and there is a flat rate fee of $22 for international customers. Depending on your country of origin, for international customers there may be an additional tax you have to pay for the artwork to pass through customs which varies from country to country which is not included in the shipping cost. If you would like to know what this is, please check with your country’s postal service directly. In case this might be helpful, the weight of this artwork when it is packaged in a cylindrical tube is 10 ounces, and the dimensions are 25.5 inches x 2.5 inches x 2.5 inches.

Questions? Please feel free to reach out here, or email me at diemdangers@gmail.com.

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