What does earth and spirit have to do with art?

EARTH LOVE does MATTER

You might notice that I’m dedicating my blog to my three passions—art, spirit and earth—but it seems that mostly and so far, I talk about art.

You might suspect there’s some kind of struggle going on with me—and you wouldn’t be wrong.

So here’s the truth. I LOVE to draw and paint and creatively problem solve and share my creative life. Which is what I do every chance I get—online and off. I’ve mentioned this journey several times lately—I love art making and I’m all in. That metaphorical plate is spinning in the air.

As a multipotentialite, however, there are more plates.

I love to read fiction, for instance, I love story and I enjoy writing. And I love animals. I love to hike and be in nature, in and near water. I’m deeply concerned about the climate crisis. And I’m equally fascinated by the science and the spiritual elements of life.

In short, I want to spin more plates in the air.

But you know, time and focus and attention and energy—all the challenges—sometimes bring those plates crashing to the ground.

My “earth” interest is one example. I’m taking small actions in my own life to more closely align with my love for the earth and to do my part to reduce my own impact on it. I’m on a personal journey to become more aware about both the real problems and the real solutions to solving the climate crisis. And to align my life to support those solutions.

But I also want to do more. Global warming, mass extinction, ocean acidification…this is a crisis in our lifetimes, but a crisis we can solve if we all get behind the solutions.

So I have made attempts to share what I learn about the climate crisis over the last several years. I wrote about the climate crisis on my website.

I also started a drawing project a few years ago called It’s Possible and posted a series of drawings on Instagram about the need to see that we’re not doomed yet.

Finally, in January of this year I started an earth-focused instagram account called earthlove.matters. where I made drawings and paintings about climate crisis issues.

In all three cases, however, I am sorry to report, that it didn’t take me long to lose momentum and become overwhelmed. In all three cases, I started and then stopped. And I have to say this did not feel good. Cracked plates at my feet, to continue the metaphor.

So where am I now?

I’ve learned that I can’t sustain a project that solely focuses on creating art about the climate crisis. Not only does this project take so. much. time—but it requires singular devotion. Working full time. And the truth of the matter is that I don’t believe that’s what I’m supposed to do.

Earth love DOES matter. The more we LOVE all of life on this planet, the more we will protect it. The more we will see ourselves in the fabric of all existence. Art. Spirit. Earth. All of it. Connected…

Love, I think, connects it all

…My own personal journey to love the earth more. My love of art. My love of reading. And loving up my animals and all of nature…life! I have to follow ALL of my interests.

Art AND Earth AND Spirit…

And that’s where I’m going. I intend to write here about my art and creative life, about the earth and my own place in it, and yes, about spirit (because in fact, spirit is not another spinning plate, but part of it all). No big commitment to Big Projects, for now. Just creating and sharing, here.

So that’s where I’m headed now. I’m putting another plate back on the tip of the rod and giving it a good, fast spin.