"Seeds We Plant" About the Art (Part One)

"Establish The Work of Our Hands" (left) and "Helping in the Garden" (right)

Both pieces were inspired by a photograph I found of my GG working in the yard while my uncle Rob stood nearby raking leaves, eager to help her. As a collection, "Seeds We Plant" explores the questions: What seeds do we choose to sow for our future and for the futures of others? And how do we cultivate the good soil those seeds need to grow? (Matthew 13:23)

The act of gardening or working in the yard emphasizes the importance of nurturing and caring for the earth. I found this profound for that reason alone, but I also found the composition quite impactful for a much larger metaphorical reason as well. Our grandparents, parents, and mentors plant seeds in us in order to cultivate a sense of self and instill important lessons and values in us as they nurture us along the way.

The painting of my uncle Rob celebrates how even as our mentors nurture us, we begin to mirror their acts of caring and tending for the world around us. He stands across from her, learning, absorbing, and mirroring her own acts of cultivation, symbolic of us all as we continue the cycle of planting seeds, growing, and learning throughout our lives.

"Helping in the Garden" 12x16" Acrylic and Pastel on Cotton Paper Mounted on Wood Board

"Establish the Work of Our Hands" 12x16" Acrylic and Pastel on Cotton Paper Mounted on Wood Board