Counselor's artwork makes it into Longmont Museum

Porfidia Beuke and JayCee Beyale created a sand painting on display at the Longmont Museum as part of the exhibit Duality which features Indigenous Modern Art. Porfidia is a counselor at Rocky Top Middle School in Thornton, Colorado. Porfidia uses art to create and express her indigenous roots. She owns her own company called Modern Ancient Design. She loves to weave her art with indigenous stories. She uses her art platform to increase awareness of human impact on the environment and mental health supports.

The sand painting that was collaboratively created a modern twist. The painting took about 20 hours and will be on display until May 14th at the Longmont Museum. For the Navajo, the sand painting is a dynamic, living, sacred entity that enables a transformation in the mental and physical state. This healing is complete when the sand is swept away. It is not meant to be permanent. "Corn is a metaphor for human life because both of them go through the same stages of life. Both corn and humans reach a stage of fruition when they blossom: the corn bursts forth with pollen while humans also achieve a peak of development associated with Sa ah Naaghai Bik'eh Hozhoo. Harry Walters (personal communication) described this sate of being: "Every time he/she talks, thinks, or acts, he/ she does so in radiance, in a state of wisdom and perfect harmony."

Just as corn disseminates its pollen for the continuation of future generations. Because corn and humans need nurturance four directions (four cardinal light phenomena) in order to reach old age; both possess knowledge from the four directions; it is this knowledge that they take into their beings and then have a responsibility to return to those that come after them"

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