5" x 7"
Inside blank with story and artist info on the back. Each card includes an envelope and is packaged in an acid-free, resealable clear bag.
A quality greeting card product. Crisp, clear, colour true and printed on 12pt paper with dye-based inks. Features a gloss exterior for extra "pop" and a matte surface inside for ease of writing. The inside is blank. There is a story about each image on the back along with artist bio and statement. Each card includes an envelope and is packaged in an acid-free, resealable clear bag.
Dragonfly, or Oboodashkwaanishiinh to the Anishinaabek, lives its life among two realms. Born of water, as you can see represented in the artwork by the magenta-coloured eggs to the lower left, it spends most of its life there in nymph form after hatching. Following its final moult, it lives out its short adult life in the earthly domains of land and air, returning to the water to lay its eggs; thus, ensuring the next generation. The continuance of the life-force throughout their life cycle -- from eggs to nymphs and finally to mature dragonflies -- is rendered by way of the magenta-coloured eyes. Also depicting their dual natures are the dominant colours of their two worlds reflected in their bodies -- the blue of the aquatic realm and the sandy brown of the land.
As always, it is wise to learn the lessons provided by our fellow creatures. In this case, we can all be reminded of the importance of “dwelling in two worlds” as we undertake the urgent work necessary to understand and protect our fragile ecosystems. Our “two-world task” is to acquire what has come to be known as two-eyed seeing; the ability to view and study the natural world with both traditional Indigenous knowledge (one eye) and the Western sciences (the other eye). This fusion of cultural and scientific intelligences will create an enhanced approach to help ensure our success in addressing the serious environmental challenges we are faced with today. Indeed, this piece and its story were inspired by the work of Potawatomi knowledge keeper and scientist, Robin Wall Kimmerer, and her ground-breaking book Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants.
The subject matter and style of artist Mark Nadjiwan is predominantly inspired by his First Nation heritage. He is a self-taught artist whose chosen medium is pen and ink and his unique style is primarily a “fusion” of the Woodland and Northwest Coast Native art traditions. In his work, one can often see the Woodland’s characteristic x-ray and wavy line motifs interwoven with the clean formlines and geometry that often typify Northwest Coast art. Mark’s work can be found in galleries and venues across Canada as well as private collections in both Canada and the United States. His First Nation roots are grounded in the Georgian Bay and Lake Superior Treaty regions. He lives in the traditional territory of the Anishnabek Nation, in Treaty 72, along with his artist wife, Patricia Gray, who works in various acrylic mediums.