Force Natural– Soon at Kada Gallery, Erie, PA
This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of Nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.
–George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman, 1903
I came across the lines above from the George Bernard Shaw play, Man and Superman, while looking for something to accompany this new painting. It describes the feeling that the individual gets when they recognize their sense of purpose, when they understand what they are doing is what they are meant to be.
And that the thing that gives them this sense of purpose has meaning and importance of some sort.
It does give the feel of being a force of nature.
It fosters a sense of responsibility for one’s own place in this world as well as a sense of gratitude, both to the universe for allowing one to be in such a position and those who have helped them find this place.
There are no gnawing grievances, no complaints of things taken, or offenses suffered. It recognizes the sense of purpose in all others and embraces the differences that exist among all others.
The Force Natural stands upright as it is, flawed yet strong and just as it should be.
That last bit from Shaw– being a force of Nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy — might well describe one side of the struggle which we are witnessing in our political and cultural life right now. It is a movement based on selfishness, spite, and grievance.
Its sense of purpose is not a force of nature, but an unnatural force.
What I see in this painting is the antithesis of that movement and way of thinking.
This new painting is 10″ by 20″ on panel and is titled Force Natural. It is included in my solo show, Places of Peace, that opens next Friday, November 4, at the Kada Gallery in Erie, PA.
Redtree Times 