Shaman Ride

Year completed: 1978
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Size (inches): 22 x 29
Size (cm): 55 x 72.5

Status: Sold

Observations: In Norval's mythology, the fish - vitally important to native life - represents the natural world, and in this image, the horizon has become vertical, which busies the eye and adds complexity. Within the body of the fish is a clear depiction of the shaman, who lives in nature. The 'x-ray' vision depicts the patterns of life, eggs which represent future generations. Overall, it is a painting that forms an understanding of the spiritual world of man, which is contained within nature. The painting is full of fascinating nuances - the greens on either side of the horizon are subtly different, and the three dots create a pattern that adds to the strong sense of movement conveyed in the work.