Della Burford
Della Burford is an artist who has unique qualities that bleed over into her work. Dreams and her imagination are the source of her art and her poems and stories. She has recorded her dreams each year for over 40 years, keeping track of them and painting them on mandalas. Ms. Burford uses primarily water-based paints in her artwork and uses the flow of the water to blend colors and create shapes as stories evolve in her paintings “..I studied with a shaman in the 80s and 90s who was also a student of doctor Carl Jung and he helped me in many ways over decades to take my dreams to new levels. My dreams help show me what is important for my soul and spirit in life and what to focus on.” (Art for One World, p11)
In addition to her mother, Della Burford credits her artistic influences as Ernest Fuchs, a painter of fantasy realism using the “mische” technique, & Brigid Marlin, an American artist who studied under Ernst Fuchs and created the “Society of Art of Imagination,” Others who have influenced her approach to life experiences include dream teachers, Tibetan spiritual leaders, and creative performers and dancers. When looking at those she has influenced, perhaps the largest population would be the many children from all walks of life that because of her imaginative books, storytelling productions, paintings, and her encouragement have found their own creativity and gained confidence in their ability to create.
Her willingness to share her dreams, her art, and her stories, and her work for those less fortunate have truly made the world better for many who have experienced her creativity.
For her, the artistic life is just that, it is not a job or a skill, it is a way of being. As Della states in Art for One World, “Here’s to all creation to help humanity and our planet earth.”
Written & Art Boards by Rosemary Scherba in researching Della’s life for an article in Wikipedia. http://www.dellaburford.com/Portfolio.html