Maria Wa Sees Ya Qua and Her Spirit Eagle Sam

This painting came about after I got to know Maria
as a result of traveling to different Pow wows as a 
trader. Maria is a dancer and she goes to many Pow Wows.

The first time I saw Maria, I was drawn to her. I don't
know what it was about her, but I could tell she was
someone special. There is an aura about her.

A friend of mine had taken some pictures of Maria at a
Pow Wow at Sleepy Hollow State Park in Michigan. Maria
had posed in a small clearing in front of some picturesque
pines. Not long after we had the pictures developed, we went
to yet another Pow Wow which was down in Indiana. At this
Pow Wow Maria told of a dream she had in which she was 
walking with three wolves.

This story about a dream with wolves in it stirred my 
imagination. I took the photo of Maria and superimposed
with my mind three wolves into the picture.

Also in the photo Maria is looking up into the sky with
a Mona Lisa smile as if she were seeing something there
that made her happy. I could envision an eagle's head just 
floating there, spirit-like in the sky.

I did not know about Sam at that time, and I do not know
why I decided to put the spirit of an eagle in the painting.
But that is what I saw in my minds eye.

After getting Maria's consent to make a painting from the photo,
I threw myself into it. I was very inspired and quite taken with
this beautiful Indian lady. I showed the finished painting to Maria, 
and when she saw it she said, "that's Sam."

Maria explained that several years ago a friend had taken Maria
to see this Eagle who lived in a cage at Fenner Arberetum in Lansing,
Michigan. The Eagle had been found caught in a trap on the ice
up in Northern Michigan. Maria felt sorry for this majestic bird 
who could no longer fly and had to spend his life in a cage.

She continued visiting Sam. Maria had a way with birds, but I think
she developed a special relationship with Sam. After living 30
years in his cage, Sam died in February of 1993 which, strangely enough,
was the same month in which I finished the painting.

Maria was very sad to hear about the death of Sam. But she said,
when she saw the painting with the eagle's head up in the clouds, that she
took it for a sign from Sam that he was flying free now in the spirit
world.

David "Bodie" Carrigan

Note:

A copy of the full story behind the inspiration for this painting is included 
with the purchase of each print.

Originally published in late 1993, there are 1181 prints, signed and numbered, 
in the series.