We Are All Related: Illustrations by Charlotte Easterling
On view at the Ballweg Gallery
Ironworks Building, Goodman Community Center
May 1-31
Exhibition opening on Gallery Night
Friday, May 3, 6-8 PM
Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ is Lakota for “We are all related.” This refers not only to people but also to animals, plants, the Earth, the sky—everything living and nonliving. All that exists is made up of what Carl Sagan called “star stuff,” the elements that were created in the hearts of ancient stars that grew old, died, and went supernova, spreading their star stuff throughout the universe.
Our kinship is also expressed by more abstract connections like shared culture. Although the world has multitudes of different lifeways, there are many shared experiences that can help us feel like part of the bigger whole: visions of beauty, witnessing the turning seasons, or perhaps a moment of affinity with a wild animal or a nighttime sky. We’re always in the presence of relatives regardless of the form they take. Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ.
To purchase one of the framed prints from the exhibition, click the button next to the image. Framed art is available for pickup only, May 31 or later.
To purchase a print, card, sticker or other item, visit the Creative Vixen Design Shop.
We Are All Related / Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ
Giclée on archival paper; digital illustration
2024
12×16″
The star quilt is a meaningful gift in Lakota culture, given at important milestones in people’s lives or as a mark of honor and respect. Generosity and gift-giving is a significant part of Lakota culture, and the star quilt is a symbol of that. The origin of the star design is the morning star, which is the last star that’s visible at dawn. It represents the hope and promise of a new day.
I wanted this illustration to express the traditional meaning of the star quilt design and to incorporate contemporary knowledge of cosmology and ecology.
Luna Moth
Giclée on archival paper; digital illustration
2022
8×10″
Common Buckeye Butterfly
Giclée on archival paper; digital illustration
2022
8×10″
Apollo Metalmark Butterfly
Giclée on archival paper; digital illustration
2022
8×10″
Madagascan Sunset Moth
Giclée on archival paper; digital illustration
2022
8×10″
Southern Birdwing Butterfly
Giclée on archival paper; digital illustration
2022
8×10″
She Watches the Sky
Giclée on archival paper; digital illustration
2024
16×12″
My mother told me stories about going stargazing with her father when she was a girl. He would tell stories about star camp, where we’re said to go when we die. Each star in the sky represents a campfire surrounded by those we’ve lost. She continued that tradition with me, when we would lie on the hood of the car, watching meteor showers late into the night.
In Lakota tradition, the northern lights are unborn souls waiting to come to earth. Based on that idea, I liked the idea of blending present and future generations in the illustration. To bring in the past, I showed the spirits of ancestors pausing to enjoy the spectacle.
Season Cycle
The following four prints are part of the Season Cycle series.
The turning of the seasons is always fascinating for me. Watching the changing light and pausing to notice the slow changes as the seasons make their transitions gives me a moment of connection with the natural world. It’s a reminder that, for all our technology and modern ways of living, we’re still intimately tied to the cycles of the year.
These four illustrations use a traditional Lakota design as the background, overlaid with traditional Lithuanian symbols for land, sky, wind, sun, and moon. These two parts of my heritage blend surprisingly seamlessly, both in art and often in real life.
Winter / Waniyetu / Žiema
Giclée on archival paper; digital illustration
2024
14×11″
Spring / Wétu / Pavasaris
Giclée on archival paper; digital illustration
2024
14×11″
Summer / Blokétu / Vasara
Giclée print on archival paper; digital illustration
2024
14×11″
Autumn / Ptanyetu / Ruduo
Giclée print on archival paper; digital illustration
2024
14×11″
Common Sunbird Asity
Birds of Madagascar series
Giclée on archival paper; digital illustration
2021
8×10″
Paradise Flycatcher
Birds of Madagascar series
Giclée on archival paper; digital illustration
2021
8×10″
Red Fody
Birds of Madagascar series
Giclée on archival paper; digital illustration
2021
8×10″
Madagascar Crested Ibis
Birds of Madagascar series
Giclée on archival paper; digital illustration
2021
8×10″
Crested Coua
Birds of Madagascar series
Giclée on archival paper; digital illustration
2021
8×10″
Wind Whispers
Digital print on canvas; digital illustration, 2023
Lyrics and music by Eric Shipley, 2020
Courtesy of Eric Shipley
My husband wrote Wind Whispers, a song about his memories of camping during his childhood, in 2020. As an anniversary gift, I illustrated his lyrics and wove them into the design. His storytelling skills made it easy for me to picture the scene and feel the sense of being sheltered and lullabyed by the wind in the trees.
The large print is not for sale, but an 8×10″ print is available here.
Hear Eric sing Wind Whispers here.
Wendigo / Windigoo
Giclée on archival paper; digital illustration
2022
11×14″
The wendigo is a mythological creature from Algonquin lore. It’s one of my favorite stories from my Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) heritage. It’s a cautionary tale about the danger of greed and gluttony; those who commit murder or practice cannibalism may turn into a wendigo. These monstrous creatures are always ravenous, never able to be satisfied no matter how much they eat. The scary tale highlights the need to cooperate and practice moderation, while remembering how our actions affect everyone else.
Owl in Flight
Giclée on archival paper; digital illustration
2023
14×11″
Sundogs / Wíačhéič’ithi
Giclée on archival paper; digital illustration
2024
16×12″
Growing up in South Dakota, it was fairly common to see sundogs in the winter. I always loved that they were called sundogs; I imagined them as the sun’s two little pets. The Lakota word for “sundog” is Wíačhéič’ithi, which means The Sun Makes A Campfire For Himself. So in this piece, I’ve portrayed the sun, with his campfire and companions, guiding us through a cold winter into the waiting spring.
Fox in the Forest
Giclée on archival paper; digital illustration
2021-2023
16×12″