Okay so today I wanna talk about this wild idea I stumbled into – Shamanism Art. Yeah, sounds kinda out there, right? That's what I thought too. But then I figured, why not give it a shot? Maybe it's not just weird ancient stuff, maybe there's something cool to make.
How I Even Got Here
Basically, I was down a rabbit hole online. You know how it goes. Started looking at old symbols, folk art, that kind of thing. Kept seeing stuff tagged 'shamanic art' – these bold, raw drawings and carvings. Animals, spirits, zigzags, dots. It looked messy but powerful, like it had a heartbeat. Felt totally different from those perfect paintings in galleries. Something clicked. I wanted to try making that kind of feeling.
Getting Set Up (& Keeping It Simple)
First thing, I realized I needed stuff I had around. No fancy art supplies for this. Rummaged through my junk drawer:
- Paper: Used leftover craft paper and ripped pieces from an old sketchpad.
- Markers: Grabbed some chunky kids’ markers, the kind that smell weird.
- Charcoal sticks: Found half a dusty stick left over from some other failed idea.
- Clay: Dug out some cheap air-dry clay that was half-hard already.
Set up shop right on my kitchen table. Pushed the salt and pepper shaker aside.
The Actual Messy Doing Part
Honestly? It felt awkward as hell at first. Sat there staring at the blank paper like an idiot. Wasn't about sketching some perfect picture. More about letting my brain wander. Started thinking about basic things:
- Animals: That strong feeling you get seeing a hawk fly overhead? Tried to draw it, but just like a quick, swooping line. Didn't worry about feathers.
- Rocks & Mountains: The solid feeling underfoot. Made heavy, jagged shapes with the charcoal, pressed hard.
- Wind: Swirled lines across the page. Let my hand go fast and loose.
With the clay, just grabbed a lump and started pushing fingers into it. Made weird little faces and shapes. Poked holes with a toothpick. It was more about digging in than making something 'good'. Felt kinda... primal? Sounds dramatic, but it's true. Got charcoal smudges all over my hands and the table. Big deal.
What Happened That Was Weird
After a while, something shifted. Wasn't trying so hard. Stopped caring if it looked stupid. Just focused on the feeling I wanted to get down – the heavy weight of stone, the quick flash of a spirit-animal glance. The lines got bolder. Used colors straight out of the marker, no blending. Bright reds, earth browns, deep blacks. Started repeating simple patterns: dots, dashes, zigzags. Felt grounding, almost like a drumbeat.
Got lost in it for a good hour. Sorta spaced out. When I snapped back, I had several really rough papers and a few lumpy clay things. They weren't masterpieces. Far from it. But they had a raw energy the usual stuff I make just doesn't.
Leaving it Lay Out
Instead of shoving it all in a drawer, I left the drawings propped up on the counter near where I have my coffee maker. Glanced at them a few times a day. Each time, they felt different. Sometimes weird, sometimes surprisingly strong. Didn't rush to 'finish' them.
What I Figured Out (Maybe)
This wasn't about making Art with a capital 'A'. It was way more about the act of making itself. Getting my hands dirty. Forgetting perfection. Connecting to something basic and ancient-feeling through simple lines and shapes. It felt weirdly powerful and grounding. A different kind of communication, not with words, but with marks. Messy marks.
I keep looking at these weird things now. The roughness kinda grows on you. Maybe it's tapping into something old. Or maybe I just needed to get messy. Either way, I'm gonna keep poking at this shamanism art thing.
