Hope in the Wintertime

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune--without the words,
And never stops at all,
Emily Dickenson

In winters past, my Hope was for a speedy return to gardening and Hope that the furnace would last just a few more months. This year instead of just thinking of winter as something to endure ( or escape) until Spring begins, I am embracing the season. I am taking 10 degree walks in the forest preserve in my giant down coat, making soup and stoking the fireplace. I no longer want to waste my present moments in regret for the past or fear of the future. I feel full of hope and gratitude for so many things. Howard Zinn expresses these thoughts beautifully:

“TO BE HOPEFUL in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness.
What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places—and there are so many—where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction.
And if we do act, in however small a way, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.” 

St. George and the Dragon

 

 

Here is my interpretation of a classic icon subject, St. George and the Dragon.  I've been intrigued by this story all my life. I understood the story first as a thrilling fairy tale, then as a metaphor for conquering personal fears. Lately though, I've been thinking about the dragon as representing what Jung called "The Shadow"-- that part of our personal psyche that we disown, the dark side of the personality which is not available to our consciousness. Jung said that when the Shadow becomes available to us, we begin the process of individuation-- of becoming a wholly integrated personality. The confrontation of our own darkness is frightening, humbling and ultimately cathartic.

 

I visited Kiev last year and was dazzled by the glory of the cathedrals of the Eastern Orthodoxy. In each sanctuary there is a wall-- an Iconostasis-- covered with incredibly beautiful icons. These are painted with regard to their purpose as devotional objects in a strictly symbolic manner. Every aspect of the compositon-- color, facial expression, subject-- is regulated by tradition. The artist takes no license in asserting his own style to the work and in doing so becomes one with his God. Art becomes a form of meditation, devotion and praise which is shared by the observer of the piece.

 

I approach the making of this piece with trepidation. Not being an iconographer, not belonging to the Eastern rite, I feel humble in my attempt to share this experience. I can only offer my respect and wonder for these beautiful traditions.

Turn and Face the Strange

 As the leaves display a final blaze of glory before their return to the Earth- many societies celebrate the beginning of a New Year. How appropriate to celebrate that in every ending there is a new beginning.
Why then- when we know this are we all so afraid of endings and more specifically of change? Here once again, I return to the myth of Daphne and the Laurel Tree- which always reminds me to encounter rather than resist the challenges that life presents.

Decimation

 
 The Roman Army was of course, the reason the Republic was able to conquer half the world. It was the order, precision and teamwork that we still see today in drill competitions that gave the Legionnaires control over their Barbarian opponents. The men were cogs in a great military machine, and when one part was not in alignment, it was eliminated. When an entire Unit was at fault, the men were divided into groups of ten with lots being drawn to choose the one for execution- which would be administered by the remaining nine.
 
 In this piece, squares represent the ideal form of Man Made Order; squares are a human invention and don't exist in nature. As each tenth square is rent from the others, the order eventually slips away.
 
 Everything in Life is yearning to find the Center. The opposite of the pathological urge towards military control is Anarchy. When either extreme is on the ascendant, "things fall apart-the center cannot hold".

SPQR

SPQR: Senatus Populus que Romanus- "The Senate and the People of Rome" was emblazoned on every Roman coin- every soldiers helmet and shield. It was to be seen everywhere on the streets of Rome. It conveyed the notion that the vast Roman Empire was a utopia of freedom, civility and honor which was of the people, by the people and for the people. Before the birth of Christ, Romans had hot running water!

I've been thinking about Ancient Rome a lot lately. And about how civilizations rise...and fall.
There are various theories as to why such an advanced society could be reduced to the point at which the aqueducts ran dry and sheep grazed in vacant temples. I often wonder what will become of our own advanced civilization...

 Everything eventually is reclaimed by the Earth and yet sometimes we are given glimpses of what once was. In this piece I thought of what it would be like to sift through generations of neglect to find a token of the order and splendor that was the Roman Republic. 

42nd Annual Pilsen East Artist's Open House

42nd Annual Pilsen East Artists Open House Friday, October 5th, 6-10pm
Saturday, October 6th, 12-7pm
Please note- no Sunday date this year!


Come explore the galleries and artist's studios of beautiful Pilsen. So much to see and do!  I'll be at 1915 South Halsted Street

Hope to see you there...

Earth Day 2012

When I was a young teenager I saw a short film called "Powers of Ten" that for the first time opened my consciousness to the immense size of our Universe. The film begins at a picnic on the Chicago lakeshore and the camera zooms out in exponents of ten, farther and farther until the Earth is just a dust mote in our galaxy and farther still until our galaxy is just another star among millions. You can see the film here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fKBhvDjuy0
I remember seeing the film and realizing that we on Earth couldn't possibly be alone in the vastness of the Universe. Who knows what is contained in those millions of stars beyond? What kind of Life and what Spirit?
On this Earth Day, we don't need to be told anymore that our Earth is in trouble. We know that it is. And just by driving a hybrid car and eating locally grown food- etc, etc, is not going to solve the multitude of abuses of our natural resources. That doesn't mean we shouldn't try, and it doesn't mean we should make plans to populate Mars. But we do need to bring more Love and conscious thinking to everything we do and to all our fellow Earthlings.