Artwork and Agriculture

To stand back and see deeply what is present in the gift of creating.
To encompass the whole and see coexistence that is often missed when we only look close.
To shape what we see into a creation by way of being shaped by what we see.
To know the details of our vision but not stew on them so much we mess with the creation.

To stand back and see deeply what is present in the land’s offering.
To encompass the whole and know that coexistence is who we are; a piece that is missed when we only look at the numbers.
To shape our farms by way of being shaped by the landscape before our eyes.
To know the details of our back forty and our animals but not stew on them so much that we mess what is already perfectly created.

Artwork and agriculture are not so different, particularly when we are intentional about what we are creating and when what we are creating bears relevance to our Selves.

I don’t know what prompted me to stand the little felted ewe in front of this painting but upon doing so it presented a visual statement of how much art and agriculture are alike and what art and agriculture can mean when we are intentional about what we are creating. When we care enough to put our heart into it.

And when what we are creating bears relevance to our Self a healthy amount of good goes out into the world with it. What we have created, be it art or agriculture, resonates with others and a peculiar type of magic happens that extends beyond ourselves. I think agriculture could use a little bit of that good and a little bit of that magic.

Hills by artist Dawn Banning

The painting is by Canadian artist Dawn Banning. I am positively thrilled it hangs in our home. You can find more of Dawn’s artwork and her insights on the impact of artwork in our lives on her blog at Dawn’s Originals.