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  • Emerging Visions: Kaitlin Burghout

Emerging Visions: Kaitlin Burghout

Bones & Legends


My work explores the myths and legends of dragons that emerged when early settlers first discovered dinosaur fossils and other creatures from pre-history. I also looked into earlier myths such as Quetzalcoatl from Mayan mythology, the Naga from the Buddhism religion and Smok the dragon from a legend in Poland. I consider my current output to be an evolving portfolio of works in progress. I have imagined and realized my paintings, drawings and sculptures with reference to living animals, fossils of dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures and in turn, I’ve focused my artwork on the following types of draconic creatures.

Western Dragons are the most popular type of dragon. They have six limbs, four legs and two wings. In Illustrations from the middle ages, the dragon is shown as a large reptile-like creature with bat-like wings, claws, serpentine tails and the ability to breathe fire.

 Wyvern are dragons or close relatives of dragons. They have four limbs, two legs and two wings. Wyverns and western dragons are the most popular images in medieval literature.

 Eastern Dragons have long serpentine bodies with four legs and are normally wingless. In Chinese culture, they are often associated with water and they are known to be guardians of moving bodies of water.

 The Quetzalcoatl is a feathered serpent god from Aztec mythology and he is known as Kukulcan by the Mayans. Quetzalcoatl is a feathered serpent that is able to control the weather, invent the calendar for the Aztec people and he is known as the Aztec war dragon when he was removed from the sun throne, causing the apocalypse.