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SUFI OWL ELEMENTAL 2026 / Embodiment
CHERI A ELLIS copyright 2024 / All Rights Reserved
SUFI FLOWER SISTERS painting (below) is a 13 year journey into the concept of individuation, completing in the last weeks of 2025 through the first weeks of 2026. The painting, never meant to be seen, or shown, or sold, began its evolution in 2013 where it seeded the effort to create and give voice through a process of transformative alchemization. This process allowed for the embodiment of the philosophies that inspired the imagery, to be internalized through the days, weeks and years it developed. The painting is a 'style development" piece that began to express, to take on, the essence of the style that self alignment creates.
SUFI OWL / EMBODIMENT is a digital collage (below) merging the flowers from the painting, with a painted owl head, and a handmade dress created from fabric printed with the "Plant Medicine" artwork. The back-round imagery is created from a pen and ink illustration called "Owl Bee" (click onto the small images at the left). These continuing fantasy depictions make the little ethereal animal elementals the truest of models for the garments that embody the wisdoms of nature. This particular imagery is being developed for an oracle card series.
click small images
INDIVIDUATION / "the psychological process of developing a distinct, authentic sense of self and personality that is separate from the family, societal, or collective influences. Integrating conscious and unconscious aspects of the psyche to become a whole, unique individual.
FIRST PERSON NARRATIVE /
It has been through running the evolution of my soul life process, through the corridors of my creative world, that my purpose as an intentional artist has honed its style and definition. The "Sufi Flower Sisters' began as the "Bee Sisters' painting, during a time of great personal upheaval and change. 2013 was my return to black and white illustration and the beginning of a style of painting reminiscent of third grade crayon illustrations depicting scenes of Native American Indians. Strong contrast imagery, rich in color, with bold black areas of outline and efficacy. The 2013 time period birthed the "Bee Odyssey" series of black and white illustrations, and the "Bee Sisters" seemed to embody the effort to create balance with those black and white perspectives. This last decade of creative practice was inspired by the desire to individuate, and in that delivered one epiphany after another through the study and research on the impact of creativity for the general health and happiness of human life.
The painting would go though 3 significant changes, imagery being sanded off and re-designed. Lines that began as free flowing brush strokes, were re-created with strong design dynamics that felt like mathematical equations. The painting would take on aspects I wasn't actually aware of, until days, months, later.
NEGREDO / "the blackening (or nigredo) is the first, often painful stage of this process, representing a 'psychosymbolic' death where the ego breaks down and the shadow self is confronted" This might be why I have often incorporated the strong aspect of black outlining, being a creature of constant transmutation through life experiences. At some point, I repainted the larger bee designs, making them all black, and writing on them a secret message, in green paint, with the runic alphabet. The "Life / Death / Rebirth" cycles of nature that the bee so powerfully represents, and our inherent survival need to abide by these laws. The painting finished with the core of the sister on the right being painted black and then graced with the white outline of an emerging seedling.
ALBEDO / (Whiteness) "the negredo process transitioning to the albedo (the whitening) , which brings light, clarity, and purification to the consciousness. The washing away of impurities, and bringing light to the matter." The Albedo that heals our gut biomes, changing the looping patterns of stuck behaviors by creating new neural pathways of awareness that express though the pineal 3rd eye. Changing that story. The thirteen years of painting, finished in one day, with a sprouting albedo plant in her gut biome.
RUBEDO / (Redness) "the final stage of the individuation process, symbolizing perfection (authenticity and self alignment versus an external expectation) synthesis, and the total fusion of opposing principles. It represents the completion of the Philosopher's Stone / alchemy, turning lead into gold." The painting is filled with red mandala-like, painted spheres with multiple unfolding petals. A red backround for the transmuting moths and butterflies.
FESTIVALS 2025 / page being created / JAN 24 2026
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FESTIVALS 2025 /
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QUEEN OF WANDS / TAROT / imagery (below) was created with pen and ink. Her abounding head decoration signifies increased perception, and her staff wands are graced with the philosopher's stone, an alchemical symbol representing the ultimate transformation, turning led into gold. New beginnings; the earthy aspect of fire; optimism.
The fear is conquered! (tiger) The feathers on her head also represent a sense of justice which she has gained by overcoming her fear. Passion, vitality, and flaming energy. When fear disappears, energy is revitalized / renewed. The self-limiting fears, the tiger's corpse, can be buried and forgotten.
OREGON COUNTRY FAIR / 2026
IMAGINE festival / Orcas Island / 2025 / wearing the"Victory" tshirt design inspired by the 'Tarot / 6 of Wands'
KOI DRAGON dress 2025 / original artwork created with pen and ink / yardage fabric printed by Spoonflower
January 26 2026
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