Saint Kateri Tekakwitha

This assemblage is titled "Redeemed -Saved From The Snare of the Fowler" It has a special attachment as well to the newly canonized (by the Roman Catholic Church), Saint Kateri Tekakwitha. So many aspects of Kateri are in this piece, and to me, were surely God inspired, since I had no knowledge at the time, of aspects of Kateri's life, yet they are displayed in this assemblage, which I am honored to dedicate to this amazing Godly woman, Kateri Tekawitha.

I received a magazine at Church that had various pictures of people who were saints, and up and coming canonized saints... Kateri was one of them, and as soon as I saw the picture of her representation, I thought this piece looked like her, and then did some research on who she was.  This was an old cast-off doll that was already pox marked, (Kateri had pox marks from smallpoxs she had as a child), the doll actually has some fingers missing, and toes missing, and was badly damaged, and close to being tossed away. But, to me, she had redeeming qualities, hence the "Redeemed" title. I added the cross, the rosary (great story of Kateri and the rosary she was said to have used that was her blessed mothers).

I also made a "flower" from the vine and heart with little angel on the inside ... Kateri is also known as "Lily of the Mohawks", so that aspect also fit in without me knowing it. She is often pictured with a simple wooden cross, which is in the snare hanging next to her too. She was a French Canadian Indian with the Mohawk tribe, in my family, on my Dad's side, we have French Canadian Indian heritage but with the Cree tribe... so that was interesting as well.

As I read her story and learned of her faith, I believe, more and more, that this piece was a God inspired assemblage, and I was happy to learn of her recent canonization today by Pope Benedict XVI at Saint Peter's Basilica.