Why is this so Beautiful to Us?

Chimney Rock at Ghost Ranch is just one of many stone spires in New Mexico. When you add the soft orange glow of Sunset, it’s hard to not be inspired. Humans seem hardwired to experience pleasure when they encounter something so beautiful. Frank Wilczek wrote a 400 page book as an attempt to answer a single question, “Is the world a work of art?” In a sense, is all of creation from the Galaxies to atoms, are something we as conscious human beings experience as beautiful, as we do gazing at Van Goghs’ “Starry Night.” As a mystic, I believe the existance of dark mater and energy makes the possiblity of a “spirit world” connected to our light dominated world more than fantasy. The entire world is experienced as “relationship” from atoms to galaxies to living organizms in our ecosystem. The highest expression of relationship, is something call love. What if all creation, is in fact the embodiement of an unseen “creators” love?

This is not something that can be proved but artists the beginning of human history have experienced nature as an expression of the “divine.” While Europeans were using “landscapes” as flat backgrounds for import historical figures, the Chinese were painting nature as the most important subject. This is where I draw my most recent inspiration for both painting and poetry. Influences include the Chinese and Japanese “Literati” poet / painters, ex. Su Shih b. 1037 and Fukuda Kodoshin b.1865, and some ideas from “wabi sabi” imperfection, impermanence. These are filtered through my belief that true beauty is embodiment of love, the one unchangeable truth in everything that matters. It is impossible for me to recreate the culture and skill needed to reproduce the true “literati” style, but I feel called to follow in their spirit and approach to art of the natural world. This is my first attempt.

This painting leave some wood exposed to show its’ natural beauty. Imperfect black borders, contrasted with gold underpainting roots the painting in the realities of life. The scene celebrates the fact that errosion reveals the beauty we see now in the light of a Summer sunset. It is not a sterile reproduction of the exterior stone, but painted with heart seeing the colors and feeling the wonder of love embodied. Acrylic on Wood Panel, 20x20. “Beautiful Spire”