The Anteater and The Snake

Smalti on tile backer board.

I recently created a shower mosaic for a client that was inspired by Aboriginal cave drawings that she has seen while traveling through the Kimberly region of western Australia. I knew very little about these ancient petroglyphs that cover the walls of these ancient caves, so my client spent hours teaching me about the meaning of the 4,000 year old symbols. One of the symbols that captured my attention was an anteater and snake in what appears to be a struggle for life; both creatures seem afraid of what lies ahead. Showing compassion for both the anteater and the snake, neither is depicted as the predator. Both are just trying to stay alive. I imagine the artist that painted this in a dark, fire-lit cave understood exactly how that struggle feels.