I am a naturalist, geologist, self-taught artist and metalsmith, maker of oracles, and servant of felines. I have been writing, drawing, and walking in the woods all my life. As a child who worshipped sticks and creek pebbles, I set out to become a scientist and teacher, expecting that the path would widen into a paved road with many travelling companions. Instead it became a faint winding trail through wilder land – the solitary way to the blacksmith’s anvil, the shaman’s workshop, and a desert sanctuary that grows a hundred different kinds of thorns, all of them beautiful.
I have a M.S. in Geology and three years of undergraduate education in Botany (including a Smithsonian lichenology internship). My favorite drawing medium is scratchboard. I paint exclusively in handground mineral pigments in egg tempera. My art has appeared in national juried shows and several publications, including Journal of Geoscience Education, Rocks and Minerals, Shaman’s Drum and We’Moon. My poetry has been published in Appalachian Heritage, Borderlands: Texas Poetry Review, and Calyx. I have been blacksmithing since 1994, specializing in “sacred iron” jewelry, shaman’s bells, and women’s ritual blades.
CURRENT PROJECTS:
Online photographic field guide to Arizona desert ferns.
Checklist of the flora of the Empire Mountains, Arizona.
Black Cat Society Playing Card Oracle deck.
Moon Oracle (Lichen Oracle and others).
Hi…I LOVE your work…all of it! And am intrequed by your use of raw ground minerals as a medium…I will check in often to see what your working on!
Lorena,
It is fascinating to follow your explorations on these unique paths through the natural and creative worlds. Will check in here often!
Go raith maith agat! Wonderful! Go maith! Amazing and good craic!
Politics and negotiations have been entered and concluded–for now. ECelt will be back on live tomorrow from 7 – 9 PM.
THANK YOU for all you do–which is a ton!
Fascinating site! I am in awe of your talent and your very obvious inner peace.
As a desert lover (specifically those special places in the Big Bend region), I appreciate your fern pictures and catalogs, as well as other desert flora.
Simply amazing!
I am always delighted by your beautiful work and am so pleased to have acquired a copy of the Ironwing 78 cards. This site refreshes me when I’m sick of civilization.
I have just found your site linked from JJ Colour Art at http://jjbks.wordpress.com/ will be back to read more over the weekend!
I love your work. Inspiring and moving. I have purchased the Tarot and a Shaman’s bell both have increased the work of my path. You inspire my life.
Beautiful art! It really speaks to me. Just perfect!
I was out hiking with a friend today and mentioned you when we spotted some ferns along the trail. She has expressed interest in getting to know more about the geology of our area and the rocks. Is there a field guide or beginner’s book on the geology of the SW. that you would recommend for us to use as a reference when we hike?
I am a painter in Logan Utah. For a number of years I’ve been curious about making my own pigments from local hematite ores, but have done little about it due to my teaching load. I noticed the beautiful copper pigment you have been using, and felt compelled to ask you about it. I am curious if you used it in its raw state, or if you used some means to purify it. I’m also curious if you happened to know of any resources that might help me to locate and identify suitible materials and how to purify them for use in oil and egg tempera. Thanks for any help you can give me.
For the quantities that you’d need, mineral pigments do not usually need “purifying” or any preparation other than grinding and mixing with the medium. Hematite and the other iron oxides are the most common. Some copper minerals are usually available at old prospect pits (or your local rock shop). The PAINTED EARTH page on my website has a mineral pigment color chart:
http://www.mineralarts.com/artwork/PaintedEarth.html
At the bottom of the page is a link to information and screenshots from my 2001 CD-ROM, Collecting and Using Mineral Pigments. The CD can be purchased at naturalpigments.com, which sells many pigments and other art supplies for egg tempera.
Thanks for your interest!
Daer Lorena – I am awestruck by your work & website found while researching plant based body paints – (i’m an arts therapist living in N of Scotland)where we have some wondeful lichens here in our ‘machair’ -land betweeen dunes & shore – Your LICHEN oracle is wonderful, thank you for the free reading – that is a nice gift & it was very apt. I would love to purchase a deck of these when you publish it& believe it would sell well here in Findhorn. Very best wishes with your work, your blacksmithing really touched me – I work in Russia sometimes & have stood for hours contemplating shamens’ clothes & tools, & yours have the added quality of a really female/feminine power.
Your work amazes me! And startles me — and I can’t quit looking at it! I love your black cats. I hope to get that deck when it’s ready.
Will you be printing the 78 card Ironwing again? I would love to get one if you do.
Thank you for sharing your visions.
Kathie Lobel, Brandon, Manitoba, Canada
Thank you for your kind words, Kathie.
I won’t be reprinting the Ironwing Tarot. The fact that it took more than four years to sell about 230 copies (including a significant number of international sales) suggests that there simply isn’t enough interest in the deck to justify a reprint. I’d rather put the money into new projects, anyway.
You’re art work is breath taking. Is there a mailing list or subscription option available for your blog?