I found this rock cairn recently and it made me consider our growing universal desire to feel connected with each other in the world. This is especially true through the platforms of social media but it is a long-standing purpose of the arts in general. This phenomenon is  cross cultural and it is as old as humanity. Our need for belonging and human connection is closely linked to our survival instincts. The cairn, here, serves as an expression of human existence, of place. It is constructed from the simple materials found nearby the site. It is a beautiful yet simple creation with profound meaning.

A person was here in passing as we all are on this earth. This cairn is the creative monument that documents this person’s journey and provides guidance to others who travel along this way. It is a form of traditional landscape art that communicates an important and relevant message even today. It is a form of engagement with fellow travelers. It is also a timeless declaration that a human being was here in this very spot. We are all just trying in one way or another to communicate and reach out to each other. The rock cairn before me holds my attention and I quietly take a moment to acknowledge  the other person in this communication who has come before me.

The act of creating this natural landmark declares sacred ground. This creative process is of great interest to me because it relates back to a profound sense of the spiritual in art that can be achieved through creative  expression. We are all so spiritually interconnected. The rock cairn is created of many individual rocks. Each rock is its own entity but the heart of the message requires that all the rocks  balance off each other. Collectively, they give the necessary support to create the monument. Each rock is carefully placed and plays an important  balancing role in the architecture of the structure. The sum is greater than the parts. The message would be lost if the rocks collapsed or fell back to the ground.

I place the love letters in front of the cairn because finding this place represents an important turning point in my journey as an artist. I arrive here on this sacred ground and I feel now more than ever that spirits are helping me navigate my forward course. The artist is present in the frame. It is proof that I am here in this moment. So too is the creator of this cairn. Together, we are all a part of this place as are the rocks. Love is the greatest message that I want to leave behind through my work.  It is the most meaningful way to exists, to create,  and it is how I make sense of the life I have left to live.