'Canada Strong and Free' Spirit Catcher
Canada, Strong, and Free is a 5” round dreamcatcher carefully wrapped in a delicate white suede representing our winter climate that allows for our country to stand out of the crowd when it comes to winter sports.
The deep red beads represent the colour of our national flag, while in the centre, I have added a golden shell with maple leaf designs.
At the top of the dreamcatcher, I have woven the four colours of humanity red, white, yellow, and black that make up the existence of our country.
Lastly, I have added two red feathers and one white feather that are there to blow away any bad dreams our nation has experienced being absorbed into a nation of lunacy.
We are all one, living the dream, creating our unique self-expression of impendence in our lives while helping those in need of refuge, giving hope and the possibility of freedom for those whose homes have been ravaged by unforeseen circumstances or in the case of warring nations.
We are a nation of hope, strength, and unity. When we all unite, we are even stronger than anyone could ever imagine.
We are all Canadians.
Below information is about the creation process and materials used.
Nancy A. Luis’s dreamcatchers are all handmade with high-quality materials using an array of glass beads, feathers, semiprecious stones, handmade wood features, shells, and many other materials she will weave into her work.
To start with, Nancy’s dreamcatcher frames are all shaped and hand-welded with various metal thicknesses by her husband, Albano.
Upon completion, Nancy then wraps the entire frame with various strips of leather, suede, and/or deer hide.
From there, Nancy begins weaving, using a waxed string called sinew. Traditionally, sinew was taken from the Buffalo stomach and was used as a string for many purposes, such as the dreamcatchers. Today, sinew is a synthetic material and comes in various forms.
Lastly, Nancy will write various stories consisting of dreams, intuition, or life experiences that are taking place on Mother Earth.
We are all one - we must care for Mother Earth and allow her to revitalize for future generations to come.