Maya Noble

Who am I? Most of the time, we answer this question by the roles we have rather than who we are. My name is Maya WindDancer. I am a Medicine Woman, a Healer, a Druid, a Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, a microbiologist, an artist, and a mom. My inspiration for carrying out those roles is fed by my deep love and respect for nature and all of its beings, both seen and unseen. I began drawing, painting, and sculpting with clay when I was five years old, growing up in Western Maryland’s remote mountains, using nature as my subject and my medium. My lifelong dream was always to be an artist. Detours in life led me down a career path of science and medicine; however, those early experiences influenced my medicine and art. I am now able to pursue that lifelong passion as an artist and bring that into the therapeutic setting as a further form of healing. During this time in school, one powerful force of inspiration has been Vincent Van Gogh, not for his style per se but his indomitable spirit. His struggle to remain true to himself and follow his vision despite opposing views has given me continued inspiration and strength.

Chinese Medicine holds the belief that we are a microcosm of all that we see in the outside world. We are in direct connection with all lifeforms, inorganic and organic. My artwork is an attempt to draw people into that often-unseen inner world of nature. In Chinese Herbal Medicine, we look at the individual herbs and how they can be combined as a whole to heal the body, mind, and spirit. With my art, I hope to awaken the spirit to see not only the beauty that exists in nature but in all of life. I work in various media, using raw pigments, charcoal, graphite, oil, fibers, and clay to forge a deeper connection with the natural world.  When possible, I make my own oil paint and clay bodies to connect on a deeper level to the earth and its energy.  At times I paint only in grisaille or monochromatically to bring the viewer closer to the innate beauty without the distraction of color.  Art is considered to be the most profound form of healing and expression of the Heart in Chinese medicine, and it is through that intention that I create my work.