Tag: #totemanimal

Totem Animal: Flying Squirrel

by Free Spirit Meg, posted in Totem Animals, Zentangle Inspired Art (ZIA)

What a goofy, little critter. These strange creatures are unique from other squirrels as they have a flappy membrane from there front to their back feet called a patagium. This is what allows them to fly, or rather glide, through the air. They are clumsy creatures on the ground so the will try to hide until they can return to the tree tops for safety. Another trait that makes them unique is that most of them are nocturnal. The fact that they only come out at night led to the recent discovery that certain species glow under UV light. Their underbellies glow a vibrant pink. After learning about this, I had to draw one for my next totem piece, even though I’ve already completed a red squirrel.

The drawing came out so bright and crazy! It’s very different from my other totems. The pink is so vibrant, I wanted to make sure I captured that unique trait the best I could! The blue and pink work well together. It was a lot of fun creating this piece and I can’t wait to try even more wild colors in the future! Now on to the symbolism!

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FLYING SQUIRREL SYMBOLISM

Flying squirrels over all have the same lessons to teach as all squirrels. You can read general squirrel symbolism in a post I wrote a while back first if you like. Then come back to this one for a cherry on top.

Because they are nocturnal, the flying squirrel is connected to the moon. The moon is a strong symbol for feminine energy and the flying squirrel is known for fertility in some Native American lore. These little critters also teach us about balance. Perhaps it is time to balance our energies in order to glide, effortlessly, though our day to day. Maintaining balance will help us remain fertile in life, not only meaning family but in joys and riches as well.

Flying squirrels have huge, buggy eyes in order to see better in the dark. Make sure that you are aware of your surroundings. Dangers could be right in front of you but if you refuse to see them, they will get you! Just like a hungry owl gets the flying squirrel. You may also want to check out Owl symbolism to see what could be lurking in the shadows.


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I hope you enjoyed my latest totem and were able to gain some insight from the flying squirrel. Have you ever seen a flying squirrel? Share your story in the comments below! Thanks for stopping by this week!

Glide on, free spirits!

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Rhino What You’re Thinking!

by Free Spirit Meg, posted in FSM Updates, Zentangle Inspired Art (ZIA)

Hey Everyone! I uploaded the Rhino Totem to my Society6 and my Redbubble. The designs came out really cool! I am enjoying the Redbubble editor. It is so easy and user friendly. It doesn’t take forever to load like Society6 and I can change the color of the background on the editor which gives me a lot of options. I really like the red with the Rhino design.

Society6 has some awesome products though that Redbubble does not. I really like the yoga mats and the furniture is really neat too!

Make sure to give both shops a glance. They are each unique and different like these notebooks. The blue one is from Society6 and the red one is from Redbubble. Like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get! Plus the prices vary between the products. Sometimes one of my shops will be having a sale and the other won’t.

I hope you enjoy the Rhino Totem. There is so much available in the shops it’s crazy! Let me know what you think about each store and what you favorite products are. Do you prefer Society6 or Redbubble? Any feedback is greatly appreciated. Growth is key! Thanks for your support! All profits go right back into my art for supplies, equipment and helps keep the blog running! And remember….

Save the Chubby Unicorns, free spirits!

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Related Posts: Rhino Symbolism | For Sudan and Northern White Rhinos

ZenSquirrel WIP

by Free Spirit Meg, posted in Work In Progress, Zentangle Inspired Art (ZIA)

My latest totem is certainly one of the most interesting. The creature I was inspired to do this time is a flying squirrel. I know I have already completed the Squirrel Totem but I had to add this one to the collection. I recently read an article from National Geographic about the recent discovery that certain species of flying squirrels glow a vibrant pink when under ultraviolet light. Scientists are still trying to figure out why this happens and if it useful to the animals or not. The colors were beautiful with the hot pink in the light areas and a shade of blue in the darker areas. I decided I had to this for my next totem piece. I have the ink finished and will start the color on it today. With just the line art though it is already vivid and bright! It’s fun using different colors than I normally would. Especially pink which is a color I use the least.

Next week I will post the symbolism behind the flying squirrel. I wonder how different or similar it will be to a common squirrel. If you are interested in reading the article from Nat Geo, I posted the link at the bottom of this post. Thanks for stopping by today! Check back often for new work!

Shine bright, free spirits!

Squirrel Totem

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Related Posts: Squirrel

National Geographic Article:
Flying squirrels secretly glow pink, thanks to fluorescence

Totem Animal: Coyote

by Free Spirit Meg, posted in Totem Animals

The Coyote Totem came out very nice. I had a lot of fun with the different tangles and matching them with the coyote’s natural patterns. The colors were also fun to play with, using the different shades of copper, tans and yellows. I also added more of a background this time. With such a great pose from the coyote, I didn’t want it to look like the coyote was floating in mid air. The background is a design I came up with to represent the tall grasses the coyote will hunt in.

Coyote Symbolism

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The coyote is a very unique totem from the others I have studied so far. The coyote is a trickster. So much so that they will even fall for their own tricks. They symbolize self sabotage and making things more difficult for one’s self. If Coyote has presented itself to you be sure that you are not blinded by the obvious. You may be caught in disbelief of a stampede coming towards you that you allow it to trample you. Not believing what just happened, you’ll look again only to get struck once more by the same stampede. It is time to be aware of your surroundings. Are you being fooled by someone? Are you fooling yourself or others? Make sure you have not beguiled yourself and others into believing you know what your doing, when in fact you do not.

Do not be alarmed if Coyote has came across your path. Yes, Coyote’s medicine can be perceived as good or bad but it is still medicine. Coyote holds a great wisdom. Seek out this wisdom when you are down about yourself. Coyote wants you to be able to laugh at yourself. It may be laughter from pain or it may genuinely be funny. If you feel as though you have a flaw, shrug it off and chuckle about it. No one is perfect. If you wish to change that flaw then take the action needed to do so but do not fool anyone into thinking your perfect. Own up to who you are and do not let it bring you down.

Beware. Coyote could also be a sign that something may backfire on you. Perhaps you feel like everything you touch is going to sh*t. Or perhaps someone you have tricked in the past is looking to get you back. Keep a keen sense about you, like Coyote, to ensure you can escape any traps laid out for you. Especially be careful not to fall into your own trap! Do not play tricks on yourself and set yourself up for failure!

They are related to everything whimsical and everything funny. They teach us to stay light hearted and remember to laugh. The reason I chose to do the coyote totem next was because I heard them singing in the woods one night. When a coyote calls it may be because things are becoming too serious. They remind us to remain playful and view the world as if through child eyes. The world is a wonderous place and Coyote teaches us that anything is possible.

If you would like to dive deep into Coyote lore, I suggest checking out the book Native American Myths and Legends by Richard Erdoes and Alfonso Ortiz. There are many great stories in it about Coyote’s magical feats and incredible powers. They are the masters of many skills. Although, they will often seek out ways to benefit without having to use those skills. They are not lazy, quite on the contrary. Though they come off as crazy and foolish, they can also adapt to any situation they are in and any environment as well. They are swift and have many tricks up their sleeves (if they had sleeves) to get out of trouble urgently.

Summary

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Coyote is the wise fool. They have powerful magic that can get them out of any predicament. Though remember that magic doesn’t always work. Do not fall into traps made by yourself and do not fall for anyone else’s either. If you are known to prank others, there might be someone around the corner waiting to get you back. Stay aware of the obvious and do not second guess what is right in front of you! Use your skills to adapt to your surroundings. Remember that we are all flawed, to err is human. So learn to laugh at yourself when you make a silly mistake. Embrace the true you and stop tricking everyone into thinking your perfect because you’re not. No one is. We just are. So have fun, stay playful and fill your eyes with wonderment. Just remember to not let that wonderment turn into a vale over your head.

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I sure learned a lot from Coyote! They couldn’t have showed up at a better time. Did you know their howls can be deceptive as well? When they yip and yap through the woods, their call will bounce off the trees. This makes one coyote sound like two and two sound like four and so on. Many believe this is a tactic used to intimidate potential threats that may be close by. Just another tricky prank they like to pull!

I hope you enjoyed Coyote’s Totem piece and were able to take some Coyote wisdom with you as well. Prints are available in both my shops @ Society6 and Redbubble! Thanks for stopping by today!

Keep laughing, free spirits!

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Related Posts: Coyote WIP

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ZenCoyote WIP

by Free Spirit Meg, posted in Sketchbook, Zentangle Inspired Art (ZIA)

Thankfully the snowstorm has passed and I can finally get back to my art! I started the color on Coyote and plan to have it finished this weekend. Coyotes actually have a diverse range of colors in there fur and it has been interesting pairing them together. I can’t wait to see what it looks like once it’s finished!

Also, I have been adding a lot of my work in my shops on Society6 and Redbubble. I am so excited with how my art looks on everything and it’s so much fun building my shop. Make sure to check it out. Yesterday I added Blue Jay Totem and I love how the tapestry turned out!

Thanks for stopping by! Stay warm, free spirits!

Valentine’s Day is Just Around the Corner!

by Free Spirit Meg, posted in FSM Updates, Totem Animals, Zentangle Inspired Art (ZIA)

Super excited to share my ❤ Valentine’s Day cards!❤ It was fun to play with my drawings and I was able to incorporate my love for corny jokes! I hope there are some couples out there that can appreciate my humor! 😂 You can order them in both my shops. Have a LOVEly day!

Let me know which ones are your favorite by leaving a comment below! You can order them @ Society6 or RedBubble!

Free Spirit Meg’s Art Shop!

by Free Spirit Meg, posted in FSM Updates, Totem Animals, Zentangle Inspired Art (ZIA)

Free Spirit Meg’s Art Shop….I like the way that sounds! Anyways…I am so excited to officially announce that I have my own online store now! It’s been a long time coming. Now, I can finally offer prints and canvases of my work. I am slowly creating an online presence starting with Society6 and RedBubble. They have a lot of great products on both sites and it is really fun creating merchandise with my art! I’ve already made my first sale on Society6 and I am so excited and grateful! This is my next step to becoming a full time artist and I feel that much closer to achieving my goal! Thank you to everyone who has supported me this far. I hope I can continue to create beautiful artwork to please your eyeballs! Be sure to check out the new shop and pick up what you like. There are frequent sales going on so check back often!

Another way that you can support my work is by subscribing to Free Spirit Meg on Patreon. It is a site that helps creative entrepreneurs build their business and put together Reward Tiers. You get to choose how much money you want to contribute and receive subscription boxes for each month you are subscribed. I currently offer monthly photography postcards, totem animal prints and custom totem cards exclusively for patrons! The more I grow, the more goodies I can put in my subscription boxes! Check it out and let me know what you think!

Again, I just want to say thank you to everyone who has helped me get this far and I can’t wait to see where it goes from here! Let me know what you think of the new shop and what your favorite items are! Also, if you have a favorite totem animal that hasn’t made it to the shop yet, feel free to leave a comment and I’ll be sure to add it in with haste!

Take care, free spirits!

Flower of Life WIP

by Free Spirit Meg, posted in Sketchbook, Zentangle Inspired Art (ZIA)

My first totem drawing of 2019 is unique from all my others. I incorporated six different animals into one piece this time. The animals are done with pointillism rather than zentangle. Instead of zentangle animals, I attempted the flower of life as my main tangle for this piece. It’s a very intricate pattern and I have always wanted to take a shot at it.

I recently saw a white deer and I was inspired to create a piece about symbolic white animals. There are many popular ones such as the white buffalo and the white rabbit. I am interested in researching all of them. This will encompass my next blog post.

I just finished the ink for my drawing and will add a some color to it before posting the final piece. Check back later this week to see the finished piece and learn about the symbolism behind white animals.

When did you see a white animal that stood out to you? What kind of animal was it and what did it mean to you? Share your story in the comments below. Thanks for stopping by.

Take care, free spirits!

Totem Animal: Polar Bear

by Free Spirit Meg, posted in Totem Animals, Zentangle Inspired Art (ZIA)

I am very pleased with the outcome of my polar bear totem. Using blue ink instead of black helped to give the bear that “icy” look. I was very free spirited (see what I did there) in my approach to the designs on this one. The back section looks like bear claws to me. At first, this was unintentional but then I just went with it. Blue is one of my favorite colors (and also green) so I always enjoy playing around with the values and different hues of the color. I remember in high school drawing a green giraffe and I loved getting the different shadows using the same shade of color. I felt the same joy when creating this piece. I have more ideas for single color drawings that I will be playing with in the near future. Now, on to some polar bear symbolism!

Bear claws? Icicles? What do you think?

Polar Bear Symbolism

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What a powerful totem the polar bear is! They are the largest land carnivore and quite possibly the toughest. Polar bears are solitary animals. They hunt alone, live alone and come together only to mate. They survive one of the harshest environments on Earth and they do it with their own willpower and independence. This is their first lesson. Stand on your own two feet. If polar bear has presented itself to you, it may be time to become more self- reliant. You have the power to make it on your own. You have the capability to get through any hardship, no matter how big, without the hand of someone else to pull you out. Find your own strength and pull yourself out!

Polar Bears are so impressive that the Inuit have a great respect for them and their mythology has many tales to honor the polar bear. It was believed that the polar bear was a god and the master of all bears. He could walk on two legs like a man, he was immense in size and so, his soul was just as immense. He protected the other bears and would watch the hunters to ensure they respected the bears they had hunted, with a special ceremony, and to also use every part of the creature. This great respect was appreciated by the polar bear god and in return he would ensure the hunter’s success on the next hunt.

The polar bear, however, is a target for no one. They have terrific camouflage, blending right into the environment. They “disappear” right before your eyes. They are the masters of cloaking themselves. Perhaps you should be doing the same. It is always important to stand out and be unique but the polar bear could be telling you right now is a good time to blend into the background. Become unseen and step back. Observe what is happening around you, quietly and patiently. Only when you have a full understanding of everything around you, can you emerge with an incredible power that no one saw coming. It is okay to take time to collect ourselves, understanding ourselves and our environment. This will ensure success in our own hunts!

Polar bears are also a strong symbol for mothering and preparing for new life. The only time a polar bear will hibernate is when a female gives birth to cubs. Polar bears are fierce and protective mothers. The cubs stay with their mother for around two years until she has taught them everything they need to know about surviving on their own. This could be a sign telling you to start preparing for a cub of your own. Or perhaps you have a new project or responsibility that needs your utmost care and devotion to see it to completion.

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The polar bear has much to teach us and should be greatly respected as a powerful guide and totem. What do you think the polar is saying to you? Share your story in the comments below! Thanks for stopping by this week and I hope you enjoyed my latest totem drawing. Check back next week for a unique post about animal symbolism. This one will be like none I have created before!

Take care, free spirits!

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Related Posts: Bear | Ice Bear WIP

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I Saw A White Deer!

by Free Spirit Meg, posted in Sketchbook, Travel

You won’t believe it! I barely believe it and I saw it! I was driving to the store on a familiar route on the highway. Off to the right is a big clearing where herds of deer are often seen grazing. I always enjoy seeing them when I drive by. Sure enough, on this drive, they were there. A big herd from about 10 – 15. Then I noticed something that was a little off. There was another animal grazing with the herd, right in the center of them all in fact. Most of it was white as snow and at first glance I thought maybe it was snow. Was it a horse? A goat? Holy Cannoli!! It was a white deer! I couldn’t believe it but it made more sense than a goat grazing with deer! I studied it as long as I could. I wanted to turn around so badly and get pictures but I was on the highway and had only my phone, which was at 4% battery. I was so upset that I couldn’t document such an amazing sight! I never in a million years thought I would see such a thing in the wild; I probably will never see another again for just as long! It was literally breath taking. I was in awe. The deer was not purely white though. It looked like someone had poured black paint on it’s head and back and it started to run down the sides. Not a brown, like the other deer, it was much darker. Everywhere else on the deer was totally white all the way down to it’s toes. This deer was truly Mother Earth’s canvas and she did a marvelous job!

I can’t be 100% sure but I think it was a buck. It is hard to make out antlers with the trees in the background but it looked like it had a rack, 4-point perhaps? I came home and drew a sketch of it as soon as I could. If I can’t have a photograph of him, then at least I have my drawing. This is exactly what he looked like (give or take the antlers).

Needless to say, I will be studying the symbolism behind white deer or white animals and see what I can find. I’ll share a post after the holidays with some information on that and maybe another drawing.

Have you ever seen a white deer before? Share your story in the comments below! I would love to hear it! I was ecstatic when I saw this guy! Thanks for stopping by.

Take care, free spirits!