Mountain Gate
Mountain Gate's contemplative face contains a peaceful authority, a light aspect of the Queen Mother of the West, Xi Wang Mu. Legend says that the weaving of the goddess helps to shape the cosmos. She is the original teacher for a whole lineage of female shamans, the Wu, who call in the spirits of Heaven and Earth to bring healing to the people and the planet. Their mission is to stay in tune with the energies of Earth and to keep life in balance. The spirit and practice of the Wu evolved into what we now know as the Tao.
The face is handwoven with a linen warp and naturally white Maine island sheep’s wool. A soumak technique is used in the brow ridge and nose. The ears are crocheted, and copper wire sewn into the margins of the felted headdress stabilize the graceful form. The entire sculpture seems to express a zen-like peace and power.The headdress itself contains random tiny specks of plant fibers from the heather-like growth on the island on which the sheep live; this effect only adds to the wild yet peaceful feel.