Bernice Ficek-Swenson displays a special closeness to the land and its primitive nature, partly attributed to her upbringing in a remote area in the Dakota plains. She photographs her vast collection of stones in relation to other elements, to emphasize stones’ spiritual connection to earth. This piece from her series, Aqua Vitae III, highlights the cleansing aspects of water and the degeneration process of fire on a centered stone. Ficek-Swenson uses a copper plate photogravure to tie the continuous tone in the photograph together with the silky, tactile surface of an inked etching.

In pencil, below image: artist's signature, title, edition no.- "Trial Proof"

Dust-grain copper plate photogravure

Vertical composition, black-and-white, depicting 11 smooth, oval-shaped light-colored stones arranged in an oval shape with possibly bird bones in the center.

This object has the following keywords:

• Nature

This object is a member of the following portfolios: