MERLE SHERMAN

Dragon Flame

They are somewhere out there and ride the flames of fire to go from place to place.

Dragons hide in places we don’t know and we don’t go, perhaps under the sand, in a cave, or even hiding on another world.

You may have encountered this creature and not remembered as they use magic to erase the memory to keep their secrets. That is why there are so many stories told but don’t show up in text books.

It is my pleasure to bead a portion of my fleeting memory of a dragon encounter.

I love to bead icons that have a story and represent things around the Portland area. This bead work is inspired by the colorful Taiwan-style dragon boats that race on the water front of the Willamette River for the annual Rose Festival event. Many of the legendary origins of Dragon Boat races have a history of more than 2000 years, the festivals all involve some of the most important traditions in Chinese Culture like virtue, spirit, loyalty, honor, and love.

Kaohsiung China gave Portland, Oregon their first 2 Taiwan-style dragon boats in 1989. Portland-Kaohsiung Sister City Association promotes people to people exchanges of educational, artistic, and cultural activities. I feel the same way about beadwork and what PBS does to help promote bead activities to include people to people exchanges of bead education and artistic expression. When I watch the dragons glide across the river I can feel the water and wind in my mind and imagine myself as the dragon.