Lundell

Linda Lundell

My passion is for the restoration of our environment.  For over forty years I have used a variety of media with a focus on nature.  My primary attention is devoted to the rainforest because of its breathtaking beauty, knowledge, and spiritual rejuvenation.   For me, there is no substitute for learning directly from our greatest wisdom teacher nature, and so I spend much time backpacking and photographing in the wilderness.   In 2004 I founded EcoArtLA, an art group focused on confronting our global environmental life crisis.  Our first exhibition was in early 2007, and our web site is:   www.EcoArtLA.com

Humanity is in crisis due to greed, environmental degradation and over population. Our world as we know it, is perishing.  For countless reasons, we have collectively dominated, exploited and bulldozed nature beyond its ability to maintain its climate integrity and support life on earth.  The arrogant days of human entitlement, with its mantra of using up every natural resource to fulfill itself, are coming to an end.  It is now clear, that it is nature’s way or no way.  The earth is a living being, and if we are to survive we must learn how to live on earth and with each other in ways that are nonviolent on every level.

Greed comes in many forms and in our culture of deception, hypnotic mass media hype and ever faster technology, our hearts and souls become lost in the loud toxic mix of it all.  Whether it is an excessive desire for power, status, another person, anger, drugs, and so forth, it all leaves us unfulfilled, needy, and strung out.  At the very same moment, this killing greed awakens us the opportunity to face it, and change it.  A good, spirit filled simple heart and life is the antidote for our sick fearful greedy minds.  Even if we are able to solve our energy crisis, and the global warming catastrophe, we still cannot keep taking new resources from, or polluting nature, beyond its ability to rejuvenate itself.  We must curb our materialistic desires, and focus on the wholesome needs for deep friendship, family, and community.  We need to develop the mindful arts of fellowship, generosity, honesty, moderation, balance, and harmony.

When I visit the rainforest I can see that it is a community of cooperative relationships.  Each intelligent life form honors other forms and does not procreate beyond its place in nature. Each predator/pray relationship is kept within limits and is a sacred balance.  Our predator is our arrogant stupidity. The entire earth is talking to us and our scientists are telling us what it is saying and the message is loud and clear.  If we do not stop consuming, overpopulating, and polluting earth, it will not be able to support us.  We are not separate from the earth and its natural laws.  We need to love the earth and be deeply grateful for its generosity, respectful of its limits, and mindful of its absolute power over our survival.