This page is in honor of my soul mate
Rose died on her 48th birthday
on October 24th, 1996
This photo was taken in May 1996
See a selection of artwork
by Rose Szalewski
|
This page is in honor of my soul mate
Rose died on her 48th birthday This photo was taken in May 1996
See a selection of artwork
|
Who am I ?
by Rose Szalewski
Every time when two or more people meet they ask each other about their label.
Something like: "Mary Smith, clerk." Given just a little more time they want
to have many more details. I am a painter and sculptor. People call me an
artist. All humans have a multitude of aspects to their being. I don't like
"pigeon holes." I don't want to say this is what I am. Put on a label and
have that be good. I'm a living being and by definition that means I am changing.
I can wear whatever cap I choose to wear and it's okay. But, just as important,
so can you and I respect that. In my art I tend to express the surreal aspects
of life. But, sometimes, I do very traditional realism because I'm moved
to do it. I want to. And that's what I mean - art is an expression of self
and since self changes so does art. Art is alive.
I've done many non traditional things in my life. Things other people said
couldn't be done or shouldn't be done. It doesn't matter. I've done them
and I'm grateful for those experiences. Many years ago I was faced with a
critical health problem and I made a decision to just go ahead and do all
the things I wanted to do. I left my home state with four children and several
friends to do what in this day and age would be called a walkabout. If you've
read the book "Mutant Message Down Under" you'll know what a walkabout is.
Only, we did this in the United States. It's simply leaving, walking into
the future without the necessary finances or the securities of modern society.
No insurance, no special budget, no loans and no jobs and one very large
helping of faith. We had a backpack each, filled with our necessities and
one vehicle. We drove 1200 miles to the Colorado wilderness and started there,
spending the summer in a camp accessible by foot or horses 10 miles from
the nearest road. After several months we decided to go to Texas, get horses
and travel for a time on horseback. We arrived in Texas, found work doing
odd jobs and found people who were happy to have us camp on their back forty.
I received a small inheritance which allowed me to finish the purchase and
outfitting of horses. Whenever we needed money we started looking for work
only to be told "you won't find work here", and yet every time we found work
within two days.
When traveling with horses one day a sheriff's deputy stopped to ask what
we were doing and where we were headed. We told him and he said, "You can't
go that way because of the bridge. You'll never get over that bridge with
your horses and you'll create a traffic hazard." We told him we'd have to
try because there were no alternative routes. That evening we camped just
a few miles from the aforementioned bridge. Shortly the sheriff's department
arrived with many vehicles and horse trailers and told us they were taking
us and our horses over the bridge and into the next county. They did all
the work loading the horses and our gear and we drove with them in their
cars. Quite a caravan! The sheriff was telling me that maybe people could
travel on horseback 50 years ago but not anymore. And, what's more, there
is just no way we would ever get over that bridge with horses. And just what
did we think we were doing anyway? I just very gently reminded him that of
course we could get over that bridge with horses. That, in fact, we were
even now crossing that bridge with our horses. He said that didn't count
because he was taking us over the bridge with our horses. I smiled and said
I thought that counted very much because the result was the same. All we
wanted was to get over that bridge safely and that's what was taking place.
At that point even the sheriff smiled and said I guess that's so.
So we continued traveling and living with horses, meeting wonderful people
and having time to just enjoy simple pleasures. The children were being exposed
to some very rich experiences and in addition needed to spend time each day
with home studies. Finally we wintered over on a pasture in a black community
in Texas that was owned by a wealthy resort owner who had befriended us.
During this time we decided to sell our horses in early spring and start
a new adventure. So we spent most of the winter working and saving for that.
With the last of the horses sold and a vehicle purchased we headed for California
with a goal to build a sailing boat! After finding an area north of San Francisco
that we liked we started looking for work and again were employed two days
later with a carpet company that we continued to work with until we left
the state five years later.
First we purchased travel trailers to live in. Then we located a landlord
who believed in us and gave us the go ahead to build on a beach section of
his marina. We enrolled the children in school and started in with the project.
Three years later we sailed out of this bay and headed south for the San
Francisco Bay. We arrived and sailed our 60' foot boat under the Golden Gate
Bridge at midnight along with a tanker that made a tremendous wake for us.
We were thrilled! We stayed for another year, sailing , going to school,
working and just having an adventure for mind and spirit. We stayed at a
variety of marinas, Jack London in Oakland, Alameda, Berkeley and several
in Sausalito.
During this time we decided the next thing to do would be to settle again,
but where and why. After much discussion we made the decision to come to
Oregon and open a gallery since we were very involved with art and it was
one of our major interests. Oregon appealed to us because it's a quieter
place than California and the beauty is inspiring and it has a coast. And,
of course, it had to have a coast, we liked the harbor in Winchester Bay
and the community of Reedsport. So this is where we still are. We opened
a small gallery which has grown and is known as the Mindpower Gallery. Why
the name? so many people asked. Simple. How can you do art without expending
mental energy? First an idea, any idea, must originate in the mind. For the
mind to work it needs to expend energy just as the body expends energy when
it works. That is mind power. Nothing strange about it. All art comes from
mind power. However for the mind or body to function we need God or the universal
energy working and functioning through us. Which is really what my life and
my life work has always been about. My main body of work I've called the
Spirit of Humanity and all the rest of my work has been a spin off from that
basic body. I've done a series I called "Thought Forms." Another body dealing
with the interrelations of all life. Another dealing with environmental factors.
A body of clay work that simple touches on peaceful existence within and
without. Sometimes I've touched on the humorous side of life because we seem
to take ourselves and our problems far too serious and humor, to me, is a
blessing from God. I believe God has a very fantastic sense of humor. I see
the joy and happiness and sometimes silliness in the creation. That tells
me something about the Creator. And that makes me glad. A humorless Universe
would surely be a sad place.
So where am I going with my life and art work? I don't know. Presently I'm
headed for another walkabout. Something inside tells me it's about time.
I don't know if I'll do any more of anything because I've had a diagnosis
of a life threatening illness. But for now I'm heading for new horizons and
those too will be reflected in any new work I do. And I'm just tremendously
grateful for the wonderful years and rich experiences and awesome people
I've encountered through the years. I've chosen to take chances and pursue
my dreams even if the means were unconventional. I found out that you don't
need to win the lotto to pursue your dreams. You need to start walking in
that direction and let circumstances, the environment and the universe support
you. The caution is don't predetermine which way it has to come, just let
it come.
send e-mail
to: georghess@yahoo.com