Painted Body Series #8

This was the eight shoot of my Painted Body Ritualistic Photography series here in Santa Fe in September 2008. I was down in the graffiti tunnels as they were preparing to burn the 84th annual "old man gloom," releasing all the troubles and travails of the previous year.

The Zozobra effigy is like Burning Man, a 50-foot figure stuffed with local's prayers to release the old and step into a new year.

There are no alterations or retouching to any of these photos. I take them all alone, in the ancient desert landscape of arroyos, canyons, caves and tunnels surrounding Santa Fe. I hold the camera at arms length, dancing with the energies.

The Painted Body series is the artwork in my original divination deck, The Oracle of Initiation published in a Limited Edition of 88 decks.

You may order decks, prints and Oracle readings on my website: www.OracleofInitiation.com

"Each image captures the spirit of a ceremonial moment, as if stepping into a dream; opening us to worlds myth, magic and allegory. The compelling intensity of the photographs reawakens ancient senses, enchanting us with a poetic and archetypal power."

OracleofInitiation.com;
Blog: MelissaWeissSteele.Wordpress.com; Facebook: "Oracle of Initiation"

All images copyright Melissa Weiss Steele 2010. - created at http://animoto.com

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Film & Animation

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