Off the Grid and Field Notes on Home, Part 4

Sometimes I dream of being off the grid, but really don’t think I could survive. Actually I know it. Moving from the city to the suburbs was a huge enough adjustment for me! So I just content myself with watching shows about people in Alaska buying properties that are off the grid.

I am, however, really excited to be part of an exhibition called Off the Grid at artstream in Dover, NH. I have been following artstream and Susan Schwake online for a few years now and put artstream on a list of places to look into for when life settles down. Life never really settles down, does it? Well, I was just thrilled when I received the invitation to be part of this show, especially just as I was starting to get the idea to work on my Field Notes on Home series. You can see all the work of the 15 invited artists online at artstream, as well as purchase from the comfort of your computer chair.

Testament
encaustic mixed media
6×6 inches

testament (ˈtɛstəmənt) :
2. a proof, attestation, or tribute

This last piece I am sharing in this post brings the total to 9 small paintings that make up my grid. Some of the things I have been thinking about these past few months is that as we go through life and all the experiences it throws at us, we hold the proof of those experiences in our bodies and psyches. The proof or evidence could be the worry creases embedded in one’s forehead, the hair that is suddenly turning white just a tad too early, actual physical scars on our flesh, or perhaps it’s the thorny walls we raise between ourselves and others. It could also be the compassion that we cultivate for others who are suffering or the willingness to be generous of spirit. Life is hard and it is difficult, but it is what we choose to do with our difficult experiences that shapes our lives. There is beauty in the proof of living, as hard as it may be.

the grid as it was hanging in my studio before I shipped it out to artstream
(I just noticed that the piece with the corn tassle is upside down-oops!)

“This world is your best teacher. There is a lesson in everything. There is a lesson in each experience. Learn it and become wise. Every failure is a stepping stone to success. Every difficulty or disappointment is a trial of your faith. Every unpleasant incident or temptation is a test of your inner strength.” -Sivananda Saraswati