I learned woodburning from my mother when I was a small child. We burned ghords to make jewelry boxes. In my late 20s, I came back to woodturning and got hooked. Since then I have used woodburning and acrylics to focus on portraits of humans with animal heads. This work is my exploration of how we all try on identities and play with roles in our lives.
Niesha Ziehmke: Hero
Medium: Acrylic, Wood burning. Size: 9 inches by 12 inches. Created with wood burning and acrylics, Hero is part of a series that explores the connections between animals and humans. Hero steps into a room in celebration of his power, which grows from is love for himself and all of his stripes. This piece, Sage Stare, is part of a series that delves into the connections between animals and humans and the ways we all lean on many identities as we face transitions and healing. The piece combines wood burning and acrylic paint. Sage has a steadiness to her stance. She is calm and grounded in who she is now and who she is becoming.
