INDIAN PIPES - April 16, 1984

“It is told that an old Indian, as his time to die drew near, went out, or was put out, from the teepees to the mercy of the elements. Society tends to overlook the productivity that can continue until a person’s death. At the same time, it is the responsibility of the old people to be as productive as they can in whatever ways, for as long as they can. Even a smile in thanks. The rainbowed colors, to me, mean hope. Hope and wisdom go hand-in-hand. Death zeroes in on the old people. Not something black and ugly but a silvery crystal softness. The title, Indian Pipes, comes from that clutter of herbs, (center foreground) which feed on dead or decaying matter. Each pipe is a ghostlike, waxy-white, leafless plant. Each stem bears one bellshaped flower. The plant looks like the stem and bowl of a clay pipe. They are helpful in that they are nature’s way of cleaning up dead or decaying organic matter.”