These pieces are painted in plant pigments- spirulina, turmeric, beet, red cabbage and walnut ink. They’re inspired by the kind of imagery and format of work I grew up seeing in the Pennsylvania Dutch culture around York, PA. Hex or Barn Signs dotted homes and farm structures. My mother created fraktur designs with messages in calligraphy from as early as I can remember. Often they were birth or marriage certificates, scriptures or house blessings (Haus Segen), embedded in variations of stylized birds, hearts, geometric patterns and flowers.

These four pieces, I’m calling ‘Painted Prayers,’ similar to hex signs themselves, are prayers of acknowledgement. They’re ffirmations of what I’m grateful to experience and wish to maintain, grow and spread. They combine hex signs (used by the ‘Fancy’, rather than ‘Plain’ Dutch- or Amish and Mennonites)- modeled after those of the well known ‘Professor’ Johnny Ott and Jacob Zook of the Lancaster County area of Pennsylvania. All of the elements have symbolic meanings and intentions, from the colors and shapes to the number of arms on the rosettes and stars. I’ve added in imagery based on my interests in astrology, herbalism, alchemy and plant symbolism.

The Pennsylvania Dutch traditions, in addition to being rooted in Christianity and biblical scripture, also incorporated beliefs in the use of plants, charms, the phases and signs of the moon and other planets, and healing rituals using gestures and instructions to take certain mysterious actions. People commonly believed in the power of hexes, and visited hexenmeisters to have dark spells removed, as well as for assistance in healings and other problems.

I recommend Karl Herr’s Hex and Spellwork: The Magical Practices of the Pennsylvania Dutch if interested in learning more.