The shaman

Acrylic and pencils on paper (A2)

I don't really know how I should do this, so I start with a easy one.

'The Shaman', is not my first or last painting about this subject and with this name. Shamanism and visionary experience is the theme most if not all of my work is about. 

 The central character in this Lappish shaman. My ancestor maybe, as  mother's side of my family is from Lapland.

The  drum behind the shaman is not actively used, but  in the top right corner is Thor, who is pounding a drum with his hammer.

Shaman is poking fire with his staff and discussing with the elements , the beings eye is the sun and the other godly-eye is visible between sun and the thor.

 The women on the bottom left are daughters of the underworld's queen, and from under the robe of the elements come some trolls the people of the underworld.

Thor, Tuuri

Is the originally god of scandinavian people. Even today Tuuri means changing of luck. Tuuri can be bad or good. Like weather it Tuuri is a phenomenon that just happens, something that man can't have control of.  Unless he/she is a shaman.

The drum 

Is the vehicle that moves the shaman to a state of consciousness where intuition of the man meets with nature. Making it possible to predict what is going to happen and why.

The people of the underworld 

Are of course man's own subconsciousness and further the whole underworld is animal mind we possess. The feared troll/man beast is inside of us. He is wild animal, but also man in tune with nature and intuition. Daughters are beautiful and helpful,  they eagerly explain what is happening in the underworld and show you it's wonders, but also they contain element of danger.Like the logic and strategies we can get too attached to them.

 The shaman

 This makes the shaman, the journeyer in larger perspective our true enlighted self. The part of our psyche that has the experience.

Read more on:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamanism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finnish_mythology