Inside Out -opens at MJG Gallery - 1028 Queen East
and runs the month of June 2014 (Queen and Pape Avenue, Toronto)
The Memory of Seeds
These paintings are self portraits; maybe not
as most would instantly recognize as such, but for me, these organic forms are
a reflection of our own image. The bonds between animal and plant are vital for
survival but the connection is deeper than sustenance. The earth is our body
and its water, our fluids.
Remembering the earth resonates with our
source. This mystical stored memory of the earth is encoded in every seed on
the planet. We are the universe in human form. To realize our connection to
nature is to tap into the deepest truth of our human existence. We are plants
manifested in human form. Creating images that point to this majesty is, for me,
a way to explore our deepest and most profound spiritual core.
The pivotal work in this series, The Memory of
Seeds, asks the viewer to contemplate their own connection with Mother Earth
pre human form. The largest work, The Seeds You Planted, pays homage to my muse
and wonderful mother, who recently passed, Helen Barr. Always, my motivation, she encouraged me as a
painter, to keep looking and to add spots and dashes of colour here and
there. Thanks, mom.
The balance of my work is a further blossoming and
growth from these small but powerful “seeds of memory”.
Sharon Barr
