The Earth Turtle

I was doing some reading one day about the ancient Incan artists, and the book included a picture of a gorgeous golden turtle, his shell carved with wonderful patterns and designs. It got me thinking about the Celts... to date I've never seen an ancient Celtic design involving a turtle before, and I wondered how the Celts would have drawn a turtle.

So the challenge began -- draw a Celtic turtle in a style that would feel authentically Celtic, despite having no source material to go on. And so my little turtle was born. As I refined and polished his designs, I thought about other cultures' creation myths involving turtles, and when I finished him I realized that's what he was too! An earth turtle, old and wise, from the dawn of time.

• The Earth Turtle
• 8.5" x 8.5"
• Watercolor and 22k gold leaf on watercolor paper
• SOLD

Copyright Cari Buziak, 2001.