We live on such a beautiful planet, that I’ve only been able to see in photographs, as we walk through the concrete atmosphere of our surroundings. For me, nature rests in our dreams. In a class on Chinese painting at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Stanley Murashige introduced the class to this amazing concept: Nature is the creation of the interpretation between our lives and the environment. It’s so clear in brush painting, handed down through the ages, as masters of their craft, and their presence of mind, come to the combination of reality between our minds and this beautiful, delicate world. The world they walk through as they enter the forests, the mountains and grandeur of the environment as they move through the landscape. And we see in these paintings the worlds of their lives.
In my growing art practice, I’m focusing on these experiences as a source of inspiration, and I hope they bring you joy and harmony. This floating world, in painting, is a constant reminder of the union of our hearts within the environment. The presence of mind many of us so dearly seek. I may not be able to walk in the forests today, but hope I will soon. The way I’m reaching it is through art, and the incredible voices that our artists can give, to all of us, who may not have the ability on this day, to go into the world of nature. So I turn inward, to find my own forest of mind. And in this I see the world that can be, and what many of us seek so strongly, a union of harmony and peace, an ability to see through nature’s changes, that we are not seperate from. Here’s an image for today. I may not be able to paint my own today, since I have so much to do. I hope you enjoy it. We have so much to do, both in our minds and compassion. But can we fall in love with nature, an unbreaking bond? I hope we can, and this morning it feels like we have a chance, for all generations, in this beautiful reality of our world, and the world of us all.
The Reluctant Blogger 