SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 ISSUE
SPOTLIGHT
THE TONIC OF WILDNESS
Text By Douglas Schwartz
Carleton Watkins
John Abbot
John James Audubon
Ansel Adams
Paul Gauguin
Douglas Schwartz
Claude Monet
Carl Rungius
Karen Schwartz
Vincent van Gogh
In the words of Henry David Thoreau…We need
the tonic of wildness, - to wade sometimes in
marshes where the bittern and the meadow-hen
lurk, and hear the booming of the snipe; to smell
the whispering sedge where only some wilder and
more solitary fowl builds her nest, and the mink
crawls with its belly close to the ground. There's a
very good reason why Thoreau's eloquent prose
resonates to this day.
Who among us has never felt the desire, or need
(even fleetingly) at some point in their life to return
to nature like Thoreau, who achieved what he
expressed in his now famous declaration...I want to
go soon and live away by the pond, where I shall
hear only the wind whispering among the reeds.
The fact is, his classic book, Walden is indeed a
classic because so many people have felt as he
once did. Whether they were consciously aware of
it or not, they connected on an organic level which
far surpasses technological "conveniences" and
other futile attempts to separate us from what is
truly important. We are all a part of nature after all.
This undeniable truth cannot be ignored!
Many artists have expressed their eternal
connection to nature through countless poems,
stories, paintings and songs. In fact, the portrayal
of our natural world has arguably been the pre-
dominant subject for artists throughout time, from
primitive paintings on cave walls to contemporary
fine art. On a personal level, Karen and I have spent
more hours than we can calculate focusing our
lenses on the wonders of our natural world. Why?
Because our roles as artists are as necessary for
us as breathing.
Humans often turn away from the illusion of
technology and towards the reality of nature during
times of trouble. I see this as a natural occurrence
considering that nature has the ability to both nurture
and heal us. As Thoreau wrote…All nature is doing
her best each moment to make us well. She exists
for no other end. Just as any conscious individual
can easily see how dangerous things are on planet
earth at the present time, it would serve us well to
not only accept, but celebrate Thoreau's assertion
that...In wildness is the preservation of the world.
For in spite of mankind's false sense of superiority,
all lifeforms...including us...from the tiniest amoebas
to the largest whales, live in the same planetary
ecosystem and rely upon the same tonic of wildness
for survival. We take our first breath in this life courtesy
of nature and are dependent upon it all of our days.
As artists, we are the interpreters and illustrators of
this most beautiful and wondrous fact of life. There is
absolutely no doubt in my mind that this artistic love
affair with nature will continue for as long as there are
artists. How fortunate we are!
the tonic of wildness, - to wade sometimes in
marshes where the bittern and the meadow-hen
lurk, and hear the booming of the snipe; to smell
the whispering sedge where only some wilder and
more solitary fowl builds her nest, and the mink
crawls with its belly close to the ground. There's a
very good reason why Thoreau's eloquent prose
resonates to this day.
Who among us has never felt the desire, or need
(even fleetingly) at some point in their life to return
to nature like Thoreau, who achieved what he
expressed in his now famous declaration...I want to
go soon and live away by the pond, where I shall
hear only the wind whispering among the reeds.
The fact is, his classic book, Walden is indeed a
classic because so many people have felt as he
once did. Whether they were consciously aware of
it or not, they connected on an organic level which
far surpasses technological "conveniences" and
other futile attempts to separate us from what is
truly important. We are all a part of nature after all.
This undeniable truth cannot be ignored!
Many artists have expressed their eternal
connection to nature through countless poems,
stories, paintings and songs. In fact, the portrayal
of our natural world has arguably been the pre-
dominant subject for artists throughout time, from
primitive paintings on cave walls to contemporary
fine art. On a personal level, Karen and I have spent
more hours than we can calculate focusing our
lenses on the wonders of our natural world. Why?
Because our roles as artists are as necessary for
us as breathing.
Humans often turn away from the illusion of
technology and towards the reality of nature during
times of trouble. I see this as a natural occurrence
considering that nature has the ability to both nurture
and heal us. As Thoreau wrote…All nature is doing
her best each moment to make us well. She exists
for no other end. Just as any conscious individual
can easily see how dangerous things are on planet
earth at the present time, it would serve us well to
not only accept, but celebrate Thoreau's assertion
that...In wildness is the preservation of the world.
For in spite of mankind's false sense of superiority,
all lifeforms...including us...from the tiniest amoebas
to the largest whales, live in the same planetary
ecosystem and rely upon the same tonic of wildness
for survival. We take our first breath in this life courtesy
of nature and are dependent upon it all of our days.
As artists, we are the interpreters and illustrators of
this most beautiful and wondrous fact of life. There is
absolutely no doubt in my mind that this artistic love
affair with nature will continue for as long as there are
artists. How fortunate we are!
All artwork featured in this SPOTLIGHT, whether written or visual, © copyright the respective artists. All rights reserved.
