Ceremonial Apron 1935 - 1942

Mary Berner made this Ceremonial Apron sometime between 1855 and 1995, using pencil and colored pencil on paper. I can imagine her there, carefully applying the colours. The red snake slithers, or maybe dances, across the surface of the apron, accompanied by star-shaped figures. What do these symbols mean? What stories do they tell? Above, a row of upright figures stands in a line. I’m so curious about her process, the intimate act of drawing and storytelling intertwined. As a painter, I understand how each mark carries intention, feeling, meaning. Berner's simple strokes remind me of other artists like Forrest Bess, who created their own symbolic language. Like them, she reminds me that art isn't just about what we see, but about what we feel and imagine. It's like we are all in an ongoing conversation, inspiring each other across time.