New to our Dellwood showroom is local artwork featuring Cherokee legends along with other unique cultural stories, by Lelia Canter. She is an artist of Cherokee and Scots Irish descent. Her unique selection of original paintings, showcase various lore from the Appalachian region along with other mythological and cultural legends. Lelia studied art at Eastern Kentucky University, Morehead State University, and UNC-Asheville.
The Wolf People
This painting was inspired by the Cherokee legend that wolves had healing powers. The legend says that wolves would help wounded warriors and serve as watchdogs. The Wolf People or “Ani Waya” could shift from wolf to human form depending on the need.
The Bear People 
This painting represents the legend of the Cherokee Clan (the Anti-Tsa-guhi) who decided to live in the woods as bears. In many Cherokee legends, bears are associated with immortality, death, and resurrection.
The Council
In Cherokee legend, the animals of the forest would gather together each autumn to make preparations for winter. This painting showcases the idea of this legend where animals would hold council meetings to discuss dealings with humans and to celebrate their fellow animals.
The Dance. 
The painting “The Dance” represents the Cherokee legend of why possums have a bare tail. In the legend, possums once had a beautiful, furry, tail and one particular possum constantly bragged about his tail to all the other animals. The animals became annoyed with the bragging and devised a plan. Cricket (known as the Cherokee barber) was sent to invite the possum to a dance to honor his tail. Cricket was instructed to comb the possum’s tail until he went to sleep, then to cut all the hair from his tail and wrap it in a red ribbon…. telling the possum, he must keep his tail wrapped until he arrived at the party.
When the possum arrived at the party, he was given the honor of performing a special dance to show off his beautiful tail. The possum began to dance until his tail was unwrapped and the animals began laughing loudly. Hearing the laughter, the possum looked around and saw his ugly bare tail. He was so embarrassed that he lay down on the ground and hid his head. To this day, all possum’s tails are bare. When confronted, they lay down and play dead because they are embarrassed about their bare tails.
Ursa Moon
Inspired by Greek mythology, “Ursa Moon” features the Big and Little Dipper or Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. In mythology, Ursa Major was Callisto and Ursa Minor was Arcas, the son of Callisto and Zeus. Both Arcas and Callisto were transformed into bears and were stationed in the night sky in order to be protected from Zeus’s jealous wife, Hera.
Visit our Dellwood showroom to see these limited-edition prints. Only one of each available!
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