I named my company Studio Lynx because to do the work I do well one must be lynx-eyed: have a sharp eye for composition and stories, be highly perceptive and observant, and shine a light. In Greek lore, the lynx had a reputation for seeing through falsehood and discovering the truth, both are qualities I value.

 

In researching lynx, I discovered one of the world's oldest scientific societies, founded by scientist and naturalist Federico Cesi in Renaissance Italy in 1603, called the Accademia dei Lincei ("Academy of the Lynx-Eyed"). Engineer and astronomer Galileo Galilei was a member. As I also value natural history and science this was an exciting discovery.

 

Lynx play a prominent role in North American, Norse, and Greek mythology. The animal’s name itself originates from the Ancient Greek word for "to shine" or "light". This name was given because of the cat's bright, reflective eyes. In Norse mythology, the lynx is tied to Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and war. According to legend, her chariot is pulled by two large, magical cats that are believed to be lynxes.

 

Here in North America, some peoples saw the stealthy cat as the “keeper of secrets.” For example, the Anishinabe (Ojibwa) associated it with their Midewiwin medicine society, as a dangerous, powerful spirit animal and the Mohave believed that dreaming of a lynx would bring you special hunting abilities.

 

When I was a child in Wyoming, my nickname was Eagle-Eye, because I spotted wildlife before others. My eyesight’s no longer as keen, but my abilities have expanded to aid my aesthetic and interpersonal attunement, which I put to use at Studio Lynx.