Margaretha Zidani

In a marvellous novel by a Finnish writer, a man from an ancient African tribe dreams of rain animals in the middle of a draught. In the dream, he enters a strange realm and sees huge animals emerge, and he can smell the water. When he wakes up, he starts painting the animals of his dream on a rock; and soon the rain comes. My rain animal is a simple etching, in which you make the lines on the copper plate visible with the help of acid.

An image commonly seen on ancient rock art is the boat - often two boats, side by side. Perhaps they are not boats but elk antlers, because the image of an elk is usually found near by. Or could it be both?

Old messages, old signs people do not understand today, yet somehow this ancient art moves us as if we instinctively felt the connection.

So the boat was my inspiration for the etching above. And the stories of clans.

Ancient Finns are usually divided into two clans, the elk clan and the bear clan. To most Finno-Ugrian people, Bear was one of our forefathers, the respected King of the Forests lowered to earth at the beginning of time.

"Where was Bruin born, the honey-paw turned over?
There was Bruin born, the honey-paw turned over -
In the upper air, upon the Great Bear's shoulders".

Above is my etching/aquatint of an ancient, but still treasured, petroglyph called "The Elk of Hawk Mountain". This tiny creature in motion is perhaps our most touching rock art.

Acids are also needed when doing an aquatint, so you can play with different shades of colour as well. Working with graphics is endlessly fascinating because you never know if your day's work at the plate has been worth your while until you make your first print! And it's pure handicraft all the way through.

I hope you have enjoyed my art. May you find beauty to light your trek, where ever you are going!

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