An appreciation of Paul Cezanne, St. Benedict and Landscapes of our lives

   Landscapes have always affected me, be it on an island, on the prairies or the bayous where I have lived at various times of my life. Landscapes are both fixed and flexible. They are continually, as it were, changing, even when they seem to stand still. The magic of light touches upon them and affects our spirit. We discover we are not detached and can choose to be part of the nature or manipulate the landscape to suit our perspectives.
   I like the work of the artist, Paul Cezanne, born in Aix-en-Provence in 1839 and died there in 1906. He loved his own landscape. The beauty of the country overwhelmed and fascinated him. He never grew weary of it. By nature, the artist in his self-portrait above, was impetuous, passionate about life which translated into his early paintings. After many decades, he matured into one of the most orderly and lucid artists in history. He mastered his brewing character, transforming not only himself, but his art as well. I believe we can become our masterpieces. How we blossom into these works of art has been the subject of much debate by many writers, artists, theologians! Cezanne found beauty in the nature, in the mountains, in still life, in the human body. In the process, he thought himself unworthy of such beauty and goodness. I find a similar parallel with Benedict of Nursia, 5th century saint, whose followers transformed landscapes around their monasteries to suit their own monastic existence. Across Europe where monasteries were founded; his monks drained marshes and bogs; tamed and farmed wilderness, gradually imposing order on their environments. The genius of such artists/farmers/writers is that they put their stamp on their surroundings which benefited many. 
   Perhaps we can ask ourselves, how do we connect with our landscapes? I believed these men listened and observed. Audio ecologist and writer, Gordon Hempton, reminds us that 'silence is an endangered species.' He says we are so alienated from the wonder of our landscapes, we do not hear 'quiet' which he defines as a 'presence, an absence of noise.' For any artist, writer or monk, listening is imperative. Only then, can we appreciate our environments. We may be isolated from the very beauty of our landscapes; but, we can, in the ancient words of the poet Wang Wei, 'abate our feelings of isolation.' What makes a Cezanne, a Benedict are the insights into the profound, in the simplicity and beauty that surrounds us. Hard work can be fashioned into masterpieces and we can truly choose to be grasped by anything less than love! Cezanne's countryside painting above is just one of the many examples of such portrayals of beauty. 
   Wherever we find ourselves, may we create our own masterpieces of beauty, gently learning and attentive to the landscapes around us!   (c) Don Ronaldo, February 2015.