I’ve been thinking about what it means to be a part of the Earth Community—and specifically an artist in the earth community. My science teacher spouse reminds me that the idea that Earth itself is a community that human beings are inextricably a part of is not a new one in the scientific world. But when I first encountered the phrase “earth community” in the 1990s, it was through the work of ecofeminist philosopher Charlene Spretnak and theologian and cultural historian Thomas Berry, writing not just about the scientific dimensions of the concept but its spiritual, cultural and political implications for the future of the planet.

Heart in the World  acrylic and pastel on canvas  16 x 20  (c) Elena Stone

This perspective on the Earth Community had a huge impact on me. I had long experienced a tension between my introverted ways and the communal values that seemed intrinsic to working for social change. The idea that I could engage in community simply by living and breathing as part of the natural environment of the earth was a revelation, enabling me to feel at home in the world in a way I never had before. It also offered a bigger and more inclusive perspective on what it means to build a better world—one that embraced not only deep relationship with nature but the importance of spirituality and embodiment, creativity and beauty—things I loved and valued that seemed to get lost in the urgency of analysis and protest.

Now, as I enter a new decade of life, I’m grateful for the ways that being at home in the Earth Community has nourished and grounded me. Being an artist is integral to that journey, as well as a way to give back.  I recently revisited Berry’s work and found some inspiring words to this effect.  He wrote about “the continuity of the human with the natural world in a single creative community,”  noting that

[p]oets and artists can help restore a sense of rapport with the natural world. It is this renewed sense of reciprocity with nature, in all of its complexity and remarkable beauty, that can help provide the psychic and spiritual energies necessary for the work ahead.

Of course, we humans are all a part of the Earth Community.  But being conscious of that location and finding one’s own way to claim it in a culture whose dominant practices and values are so destructive for the planet is not always a given.  Doing so, even in small ways, is a way to resist and claim our full humanity.

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Art notes.  To see more of the kind of art you that moves you on Big Planet Love, you can follow Elena Stone Arts on Instagram. I look forward to seeing you there!

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