Arrows - Arrows Against Evil

Artist: Vicki Scheele 
Materials: Mixed Media
Dimensions: 8x8 in

Artist Statement: The abstracted red arrows on the vintage yukata fabric used to inspire this piece have deep meaning in Japanese iconography. Yagasuri (arrow) motifs have a long tradition of representing protection from oni (demons), yūrei (ghosts) and, yōkai (evil spirits.) The lucky color red is also used in onamori amulets to ward off evil.

Relatively inexpensive cotton yukata fabric, which was originally used for clothing in the home, first appeared during the Edo period (1603 – 1868.) The collage utilizes images from woodblock prints and paintings of the Ukiyo-e genre of art that became popular in that era. There is a synergy between the cultural significance of the yukata fabric’s red yagasuri pattern and the often demon-filled art of the period.

Artist Bio: Vicki Scheele (b. 1946) is a self-taught collagist currently living in Southern California. Her work has been included in several publications including two by the Kolaj Institute: Transitional MOMENTS and Artists in the Archives, which included her work being exhibited at The Henry Sheldon Historical Museum in Middleton, Vermont.

A perspective on current and past experiences of cultural change is the starting point for much of Vicki’s work. Her approach to collage is non-institutional and somewhat idiosyncratic. Curiosity and a desire to understand the new, while still trying to reconcile it with the past, is a frequent theme in her work.

She uses traditional collage materials of books, magazines, photos, ephemera, found objects, new and vintage, as well as paint, ink and her own handwriting. Vicki’s work revels in the artistic freedom inherent in collage. Complex emotions such as acceptance of change, hope, confusion, fear, and anger are explored in a voice made more powerful through the medium of collage. Everyone tells stories to themselves, as does she in her collages.

Fabric Motif: The arrow pattern, yagasuri, is a popular pattern of white and colored feathers arranged in an alternating pattern. One shot, an arrow flies strait and does not come back.  The arrow is a sacred symbol in Japan believed to bring good luck and ward off evil. After a visit to shrines at New Year's. Japanese often buy a decorative arrow known as a "demon-breaking arrow" to ward off misfortune in the coming year.

This piece was part of the Yukata Inspired 2024, a collaborative exhibition between Okan Arts & Danaca Design featuring metalwork and collage. Learn more and view the entire collection HERE.