Na’amah

Na’amah of the Ark:

My Na’amah is the saver and sower of seeds, giver and grower of life. Na’amah is the nurturer that allows all else to persist and prosper. In this legend she is Noah’s partner of the Ark and more. My Na’amah is also the archetypal Mother Earth, Gaia to the Greeks, Jörð in Norse Myth.

I envisioned my Na’amah with dark skin to wrestle her out of a Euro centric visual norm. She carries sprouts in her pockets to preserve and plant. Uprooted Calla Lilies in her arms represent her own and humanities refugee status, uprootedness caused by climate catastrophe. She has seeds stitched into the hem, this is a reference to the victims of the Holocaust and other upheavals stitching valuables into their clothing for safe keeping. In so doing she embodies hope, hope for the journey, hope that these seeds can be planted one day and begin life anew. Her upraised arm holds Raven. Na’amah has given her olive seeds to plant. In the Genesis story Noah sends out the raven first who comes back exhausted and empty beaked. Here Na’amah has tasked Raven with planting and beginning anew. The spout of this planted seed is later returned to the ark by Dove.

I envisioned this art piece in fabric and stitch because I wanted to reference the tradition of stitch as a feminine art that clothes and covers and comforts. The making of Na’amah was a great puzzle to solve – to create an Everywoman Earth Mother that rewrites a story she has been written out of. A tall order. I am pleased with the result. She is my Na’amah, she can be yours too or, even better, make your own! I want us all to work to repopulate the stories that so many have been left out of.

Created from photos printed on fabric and painted, hand dyed and printed fabric, commercial batik fabric, beads, machine and hand stitch. 36×72″ Created Fall 2021