Connectedness

 SOLD

36” x 40” gallery stretchers 
Ink and acrylic on canvas

Do you believe that we are all somehow connected to each other? That our lives are overlapping and entwined for a reason? Or does this sound like an overreaching existential statement, maybe a little too woowoo to you? 

Lately, I have felt a strong connection to others and the world around me. I believe it is because I am becoming more attuned to myself. And in understanding who I am, and in being more compassionate with myself, I find it much easier to relate to others. I am finding that although each person is an individual with their own thoughts, emotions and experiences, we are all fundamentally the same. We all want the same things - to be loved, to love others, to be understood, to be seen, to be heard, to feel safe, to know our loved ones are safe.

That feeling you get when you get to know someone and they just “get you”...that is the feeling of connection I am talking about. I thrive on that feeling, and I have realized it’s not that difficult to make connections with other people if you allow yourself to be vulnerable, to be seen for who you are, because most people respond by showing you who they are, too.  And that is such a magical thing to experience! 

This feeling of connectedness also extends to the world around me, specifically to natural environments. Nature is peaceful, calming, quieting. I feel those qualities in myself when I am surrounded by nature, which means that the feelings must already exist inside me. I am at peace, I am calm, my inner thoughts are quieted. I am connected to nature, because I feel like a truer version of myself when I am surrounded by it. Just like I feel love when I am around my friends and family, because there is already love inside me. They just bring it out. These emotions are part of me, just like they are part of everyone else. We are all so different but also so much the same. 

To explore the concept of connectedness through this piece, I approached the act of painting it in a different way. To emphasize how interconnected and entwined we are with others and the world around us, I added to this painting gradually by changing the orientation in which I was painting. There is no single point of gravity, no “up or down” to the imagery. Just when I thought it was starting to look like one side would be the “top” of the painting, I would rotate it, and approach it entirely differently. I loved seeing how the drips and blobs overlap in every direction. It is chaotic yet orderly at the same time. 

I debated not applying my artist signature to this piece because that created a defining orientation in which to hang it, but in my heart I was creating it with the intention that it could be hung on the wall in any direction, I even imagined it being rotated every few months by the viewer, allowing a new perspective to be presented to the beholder. A different view but still the same story. The idea that each quadrant is unique yet part of a bigger picture.

It’s important to celebrate your individuality and know yourself, your boundaries, your limitations, but it’s also comforting to recognize that if you reach out to others, you will find a part of yourself in them.

More info about this product:

This painting was hand-stretched by the artist in her studio on 1.5" thick gallery stretchers. It can be hung as an exposed canvas, or framed in a floating wood frame for a more polished look. This painting comes with a hand-written artist statement and signature. If you purchase this painting you will be contacted by the artist for more information about pick-up options in downtown Hamilton, Ontario, or delivery/shipping information.

Please note that the buyer is responsible for any shipping charges and/or for picking up the painting, but the artist will facilitate the process by obtaining quotes, packaging the product safely, and bringing it to a shipping centre at no extra cost. Reach out to the artist directly through the Contact page for any inquiries regarding this piece.

*This is an original painting by Tania LaCaria, there is only one in the world.