The Heartening Light– Soon at Kada Gallery, Erie
I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious effort.
–Henry David Thoreau, Where I Lived and What I Lived For, 1854
I guess it will be okay to share some Thoreau two days in a row. His words seem to have survived the test of time pretty well and still ring true.
I immediately saw a connection between this new painting, The Heartening Light, and the words from Thoreau above. The Red Tree here, in its position atop the fields, seems to be an end product of hard work.
Perhaps that conscious effort alluded to by Thoreau?
After all, we can choose what we want to be, and for the most part it is our effort that determines the outcome.
And sometimes, in the midst of our labors, we need a little encouragement, something that keeps us looking forward.
And that’s the aspect I am seeing in this painting– the light of encouragement that inspires growth.
Of course, there are limitations and setbacks along the way. But so long as there is even a flicker of encouragement there is possibility.
Here’s a favorite old Hank Williams song, I Saw the Light, to go along with this piece. This version is from the original studio acetate recordings that includes an interesting false start with comments.
Redtree Times 