Sigils for Uncertainty & Uncommon Darkness
Artist Statement
Sigils are graphic representations of spells. This series is my reaction to the upheaval caused by my decision to leave my vocation in federal government. These are spells of protection that I used to help understand my emotions during a turbulent transition.
Sigil of protection when words fail
Words shape experience
Carving through our days
Over time creating recognizable, predictable terrain
We are in a chaos now
That words cannot represent
Left in jovian vacuity
with only the unfamiliar
But we are here
We may not be able to describe what we witness
But we are witnesses still, vocal in proximity
Our presence will be the testimony
And our bodies the record
Sigil to mend a shattered spirit
Covered by the ashes of my life
From chaos, I will extract order
Elevated by this breath
Rising above the detritus
Released by relinquishing to my grief
Sigil for finding meaning
A half spoken word
Quiet
As though saying this fragile thought too loudly
Will break it
Held close
And afraid to trust
Even those who should be capable of keeping these cherished sentiments safe
An unexpected gift of ruin
Is finally accepting that I was deeply unhappy
Recognizing that getting what I wanted was not making me happy
This collapse a fortunate condition
I love how each word
Contains the skeleton of an older meaning
Just waiting to be cracked open and exposed
More potent, yet less apparent than its exterior
Metaphor begets metaphor
Fossilized layers of intention
Revealing finally
The core meaning