I sometimes wonder if, when things seem their most strange, and I am lost – in fact never lost, just locationally challenged (with my non-existent sense of direction) – painting is the only way to stay grounded on planet Earth, whichever part of it I happen to be standing on. People may have a very strong sense of Nationality; a pride in their homeland which makes up part of themselves; but if I am searching for an identity or sense of who I am it would not be there. I do not have a strong feeling of ‘Homeland’ ; I take very little pride in my nationality because and definitely feel that, and Ambrose Bierce so neatly put it:

“PATRIOT, n. One to whom the interests of a part seem superior to those of the whole. The dupe of statesmen and the tool of conquerors.”
— Ambrose Bierce, The Devil’s Dictionary

PATRIOTISM, n. Combustible rubbish ready to the torch of any one ambitious to illuminate his name. In Dr. Johnson’s famous dictionary patriotism is defined as the last resort of a scoundrel. With all due respect to an enlightened but inferior lexicographer, I beg to submit that it is the first.”

As many people already say; we are citizens of the world…there is one Earth! So I hope to be an Internationalist, proud of this planet Earth; instead of a closed-minded nationalist who takes pride only in their country with its inherent set of ideals and views. And that means I have a huge amount to learn. It makes me sad to know that many of the endangered animals in this world may be extinct before I ever see them; and the same applies to their natural habitat. So perhaps the only way to experience them is by painting.

Maybe that’s the only way I can stay grounded on planet Earth.