Earth Prayer
When we (Leah and Miki) were first introduced by the Co-Create matchmakers we quickly related to one another around a shared reverence for our planet. We resonated with the joy of green spaces and that pulse of life connecting all things; with the felt magic of the earth. Our early conversations swirled with sharing the ways in which nature-connection inspires our creativity and the ways it has held us throughout the current pandemic. We explored ideas of celebrating that connection while brainstorming possibilities for weaving
our mediums, processes and perspectives into a common vision- all without ever meeting in person.
And Earth magic calls for more than celebration, it holds space for joy and heartbreak simultaneously. To connect with Earth magic is to feel deeply the kinship between self and the more-than-human world, as well as within and between all humans. This deeply felt connection may bolster us creatively while also holding us accountable for our actions. It guides us on journeys of self reflection and exploration of what it means to be committed to social justice. This collab was an opportunity to reflect on both our inner worlds and
outer worlds. We were collaborating not only through COVID-19, but also in a time of great uprising in response to long standing injustice for Black and Indigenous people, imposed by the violence of Whiteness. Recognizing that these unfolding stories live within a legacy of resistance and revolution, we felt a tangible shift in the energy in our communities. That prompted a shift in energy within ourselves.
As two white, cis, settler women we sat with many questions in the making of our work. Among these questions we asked:
How does it feel to love the Earth?
(In our bodies, in our hearts, in our cultures)
What does it mean- Love as action?
(to combat white supremacy forever; to uproot the tendrils deep in ourselves)
(to be a global citizen)
We aimed to stay grounded in the importance of speaking from self, while also looking to expand our perspectives. Even when our current outlooks did not completely align, we met each other openly, with curiosity, gifting one another reframes when possible.
We aimed to keep kindness and understanding at the forefront of the conversation while the focus for our project shifted. Beginning with the idea of gathering people in gratitude for the natural world and moving to include asking ourselves how we can contribute in a way that might make more of a difference in the positive changes taking place globally.
Looking to guidance from the natural world and the voices speaking powerful truths in our community and globally, we generated an Earth Prayer. This Earth Prayer consisted of nature-and-heart-oriented prints by Miki, and a nature-and-heart-inspired song by Leah. These elements were woven together in a video filmed in a forest within the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (Guelph). We recognize this prayer as one tiny offering within a vast movement as we commit to a lifetime of work in loving service to our world. Our offering is one little piece within a broader context, in which the process itself is the project.
Leah writes: We recognize that the real work happens within ourselves. It happens in the re-routing of beliefs and opening to compassionate understanding. It happens in the deepening of the understanding of the self, and in turn, our understanding of human nature as a whole. It happens when we are brave enough to pick the dark bits up in ourselves, accept them for what they are, just as nature does. And from this acceptance, we can begin to live and love in harmony with our fellow earthly family.
Miki adds: Yes- may this internal work be ours forever, but not only so that we may know peace in our own lives. May it provide also the wisdom to hold the truth of multiple realities, the grace to redistribute power, and the strength to transform our conditioning and culture. To invoke the words of Bell Hooks “there can be no love without justice”.
The project acted as a catalyst for our own internal growth resulting in a beautiful piece of collaborative art. Earth Prayer represents a timestamp rather than a culmination. We invite you to walk down this path with us guided by open-ended questions in loving conversation. We honour the ongoing exchange as we continue to learn and unlearn, and celebrate sharing where we are at this time.
The Artists
Leah Trottier
Miki Tamblyn
Hello!
My name is Miki, though some friends call me Mouserinks and I like it. I make creature spirits as a form of journaling conversations between myself and the other-than-human world. My work is a representation of my relationship with these conversations, which includes big joy, mystery, heartbreak and awe. Engaging with creature spirits helps me integrate the poetry of living as part of the ecology that holds us all. Mostly I draw the feelings evoked by animals, plants, fungi and weather while navigating ideas of community care, capitalism, colonization, interspecies-liberation, queerlove and magick.
Within the context of this Co-Create project I have been influenced, inspired, educated and expanded by so many voices around me and would like to quickly raise up the names of some of these guides and teachers. I’ve included some links below to their Instagram profiles, interviews and blogs if you’re curious to dive deeper.
While sketching out feelings that turned into the larger woodcut spirit birds I was listening to the voice of healer and trauma specialist, Resmaa Menakem as they were interviewed by Krista Tippit on the On Being podcast. The episode is called ‘Notice the Rage, Notice the Silence’ and Menakem speaks about race, ancestry, and intergenerational knowing and trauma that is passed down on a cellular level. Around this time I came across the words of Rusti Poulette from Thirdspace Somatics and revisited their work ‘Embodied Antiracism: A Brief Guide for White People’ often as I connected lines and inspected my inner world. I see one of the spirit birds representing the trauma and fear responses within myself that come up in defense of white supremacy. I see the other spirit bird modelling a restoried response that I must continue cultivating. Gyrfalcons were my guides here as well and I am grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to know a few well.
When I work with raptors we slowly build trust until that bond is bigger than their fight or flight responses which is an example I look to for when tending to the creature of myself.
While creating the black bird linocut prints on glass I was reading the words of Adrienne Maree Brown, revisiting chapters of ‘Pleasure Activism’. I was also so inspired by Corina Newsome and the work of Black AF in STEM especially regarding their ‘Black Birders Week’ campaign which sought to amplify the voices of Black birders and naturalists. I was moved by the many intersecting layers of activism, falconry, natural sciences, and joy that I witnessed throughout this campaign. Through the words of so many Black birders online I was met with the reality that even though nature connection is the right of all beings on this earth, being out on the land is no neutral activity in a racist society. I am grateful for the grackles flying to and from the feeders outside my window, shining iridescent in the sun, flashing magic eyes and ancient feet.
While creating the 12 moons of the year prints I was captured by the words of Angela Davis regarding movement building and police abolition. I was also moved to smile by a series of posters I later found to be created by Amber Hughson which imagine how we might handle situations as a community without police. There is a moon for every month of the year to remember this process is continuous work and love.
There are undoubtedly many other voices that contributed to the pieces I made here and thank every teacher human and otherwise for shaping what I think and make. Finally I need to thank my partner Jasper for their endless wisdom, patience, assistance and support throughout every step of the process and for holding so much tender space for me as I grow.
Credit
Silas Chisen – Guitar Accompaniment
Jasper Smith – Print Making and Edit Support