Earth Day

Earth Day 2019

BREATH OF LIFE
“and then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and Man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7)

 

                                       Breath of Life

On this Earth Day 2019, I share this 27 x 40-inch oil painting. I conceived it with Teilhard de Chardin’s “Cosmogenesis” in mind. It makes visible how we are physically part of the Cosmos and of our Mother Earth. Hence it is a visualization of how all things are connected in God’s creation.
Significantly it is a reminder of the crisis we find ourselves in.

We here in Puerto Rico who have lived through Hurricane Maria have seen both the most beautiful and the most destructive forces of nature. When I think of the devastation, the waste and the suffering, I lament that we humans have contributed in a significant way to this most devastating, climate crisis.

Let us meditate on this Earth Day 2019 on our connectedness to all things.
We are the conscience of planet Earth!
Lord we pray, help us to be the Stewards of your Creation as you created us to be. Amen

“Earth lies polluted under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant.” (Isaiah 24:5)

Buy a giclee print of this painting

View video of artist discussing this painting

El Jíbaro Puertorriqueño

Today is Earth Day. What better moment to pay homage to the noble “El Jíbaro Puertorriqueño”, the Puerto Rican cultural icon! “El Jíbaro” symbolizes to me the “salt of the Earth”

"El Jíbaro" oil portrait by AVonnHartung
“El Jíbaro”
Oil portrait by A.Vonn Hartung

“El Jibaro Puertorriqueño” is a painting inspired by my neighbors who have cultivated the land of their ancestors from the beginning.

Don Pepe represents for me all those who still cultivate the land; living links to our past, sustenance today and hope for abundance and sustainability in the future.

He represents, on the one hand, the constant battle between the so-called permanence of concrete and asphalt which is quickly engulfing our fertile land and drying up our lakes and rivers due to urban sprawl and the overwhelming dominance of the automobile as symbol of impoverished planning.

And on the other hand, the stability and sustainability through cosmic spirituality which, along with intact families, are our guarantee of a healthy, harmonious continuity which must offset the suicidal (or more aptly expressed, planeticidal*) race to deplete our natural resources.

*the killing of our own planet

 

This painting was inspired by my neighbor Don Pepe “el Múcaro” (the Owl) O’Neill, who I am proud to call my friend. May he rest in peace!

(16″x20″ oil portrait, artist’s collection)

Buy a giclee print of this painting

 

Hoy es “Dia de la Tierra”
¡Que mejor momento para rendir homenaje al noble “El Jíbaro Puertorriqueño”, el icono cultural puertorriqueño!”El Jíbaro” simboliza para mi la “sal de la tierra”

“El Jíbaro” es una obra inspirada por mis vecinos que han cultivado la tierra de sus antepasados desde el principio.

Don Pepe representa para mí todos los que todavía cultivan la tierra; vínculos vivientes con nuestro pasado, sostenimiento hoy y esperanza de abundancia y sostenibilidad para el futuro.

Él representa, por un lado, la batalla constante entre el supuesto permanencia de hormigón y asfalto, que se envuelva rápidamente nuestra tierra fértil y seca nuestros lagos y ríos debido a la expansión urbana y el abrumador dominio del automóvil como símbolo de la empobrecida planificación.

Y por otro lado, la estabilidad y sostenibilidad a través de la espiritualidad cósmica que, junto con las familias intactas, son nuestra garantía de una continuidad sana y armoniosa que debe contrarrestar la carrera suicida (o mejor expresada, planetacida*) por agotar nuestros recursos naturales.

*la matanza de nuestro propio planeta

 

Esta pintura fue inspirada por mi vecino Don Pepe “el Múcaro” O’Neill, que me siento orgulloso de llamarlo mi amigo. ¡Que en paz descanse!

(“El Jíbaro” es un retrato en óleo 16″ x 20″, colección del artista)