Joan M. Hellquist
Spirit Drum Designs
Wildlife Images Hand Painted on Drums

Joan M. Hellquist has been drawing and painting since childhood. Born and raised in the Northeast, Joan has lived in seven states and felt that she was finally home when she moved to New Mexico in 1988.

As recently as two years ago, Joan’s paintings have been either landscapes or portraits in pastel. Her love of animals, wilderness, Native American culture and spirituality along with the fact that she’s been a drummer since age ten, led her to start painting on drums. She feels the drum is the perfect canvas for her for they allow all of her interests to come together in one artistic package.

All of the drums are hand made by Native Americans here in New Mexico. Joan personally chooses the drums she paints on both for the beauty of the rawhide head as well as the sound of the drum. The wildlife image is the only part of the drum head that is painted. The background is the rawhide itself. The drums are playable, even on the image.

“It is my desire to portray the true spirit of each animal along with what they represent. I want my drum images to project their spirit both visually as well as through the resonance of their sound.”

Joan M. Hellquist
Spirit Drum Designs
P.O. Box 95
Placitas, NM 87043
(505) 867-2939

To see more work please visit www.spiritdrumdesigns.com