Art Letters

The visitors had taken their leave, the house now empty. I was craving this moment, while simultaneously avoiding it. A moment to myself following the flurry of actions, decisions, and emotional weight surrounding the funeral of my father.

Unsure what to do next or how to be in this moment, I found myself opening a puzzle.

I slowly searched for the edges. Calming having a simple task to focus on. Just enough activity not to be weighed down by thoughts, but enough room to hold them.

The edges now carefully grouped, I could begin. First - placing the corner pieces. It was in this action the feelings surged.

There they were. There we were.

Dad, Mom, Brother and I.

The four corners.

I wanted to commemorate this time. This hard time. This hopeful time. The power of seeing us four create something beautiful and meaningful and dignified together.

I intended to hang the pieces vertically as shown above, but something felt off. I tried a number of alternate arrangements - horizontal, square, rectangle, corners out, corners in.

Each time, the pieces felt too separate.

Frustrated and defeated, I started stacking them to stow away for another day. And then it hit.

Adjusting so that each corner would be visible, I began bonding them together as a singular unit. Cornerstones.

THE FOUR CORNERS
16 x 20 Acrylic on Wood
mioneplant.com

Thank you for personally connecting with me through this work. Wishing you a strong cornerstone as you build your puzzle.