Renacimiento

Next month I’m going to have an art show that I plan to title “Renacimiento”.  I dream of a renaissance of love, beauty, life, art, poetry, etc. and for there to be an awakening in humanity that makes people realize the importance of beauty in their daily lives.  Beauty is for the happiness of the world.  It is the soul inside of our daily work.  We reach the peak of achievement, but for what purpose? And what good is outer beauty if we have no mercy? If we kick the little ones aside because we can, or because the great race to achievement is far too important, because there are too many people to impress, too much face to save, we lose ourselves along the way, sold for good opinion.

Renacimiento, to me, is the re-birth of Life well lived, Beauty when it’s Whole, Mercy, Art everywhere, Flowers in the kitchen, Good food to eat, Face-to-face relationships and Great friends. In all of this love, beauty & life, there must be the silent, yet powerful act of metaphorically feeding the “hungry ones”.  What do we have to give for which we need nothing in return?

One last thing – very few people escape childhood unharmed. We walk through life carrying guilt, grief, pain, shame of all sorts, and god knows how many ideas of our own lack of self-worth.  To break the cycles of this pain, we think we need to be what everyone else is ~ That’s the lie that has everyone trapped.  My dream is that this cycle is broken by “Renacimiento”.

I am not interested in being famous or popular, and don’t care how much or little others appreciate my art.  I paint with love for humanity.  I was willing to die before, but I’m not Obi-Wan Kenobi and dying doesn’t help. Living does.

Instead of writing an artist statement, I wrote a poem to accompany my show.  Would love to know what you think!  Here goes:

Renacimiento

I walked through life looking for you

And found you sitting quietly inside of me

Patiently waiting for me to let go

to quit fighting

and sit down next to you

In your waiting, you built a castle

While I walked and wandered, you built and built

Weary, I sat down, Rendida a la vida

Renacimeinto is the moment I came back home

It’s the moment I touched the face

Of the one I loved the most

I walked in the castle that was built for me

And couldn’t help but wish this for all humanity

I see the faces of the suffering

And wish I had a magic self

That could carry Renacimeinto in its palms

Fly to them and give them this

I wish Renacimiento

Could be carried by every flower in every field

And bear the little ones in its arms

Bring them all back home!

To the castles where they belong

I put the dream in my paint

I whisper to it secretly

“Please carry Renacimiento out for me!”

But how can I help the hungry ones?

Feed them love for that’s what they eat

Renacimiento is the hero that opens

The tall and heavy gates

That lead to the trail of Life & Beauty

The secret garden in your heart

Renacimiento is the flower

That blooms after the last sun has set

It creates art, music and poetry

And shines light on all humanity

If only they could see!

Sit down under the willow to rest

Renacimiento sits beside you

She stands up and shows you the way

You cannot arrive at the top if you slay Beauty

Do not show up with scars on your face

The dead give-away

Mercy is the salve that heals all wounds

The child of god is yours to bear

Feed them love, for that’s what they eat

Renacimiento is on its way

Stand by, let it open the gates

Walk the trail of Life & Beauty

Let your light shine for all to see

Turn on the switch and keep it glowing

Dance, run, laugh and play

Walk hand in hand

Count random things

Dream, wish, swirl, be!

Renacimiento is here for you and me