This is something I think we all struggle with. It may be a phone or computer, or house cleaning or our job or the game…something….something is always trying to steal our focus and distract us from what is really important. Family and relationships. Put the phone down. Distractions keep us disconnected.
This painting was birthed out of an unsettling awareness of the unhealthy addiction and attention that goes to devices. My own children fighting against my device for attention or even more so my husbands attention. It is much easier to cast stones at my husband and notice his short comings than to acknowledge my own and see we have the same problem.
This large social problem has been nagging at me for a while. Every where I look in public I see a device/distractions instead of connections. Real connections are hard yet meaningful, distractions are easy yet empty. Distractions are junk food. They are enticing and sweet to the taste but provide no lasting nourishment.
Below is my poetic expression of my painting. I hope it is impactful in some way.
Disconnected
How many times will I say your name before your look up from your device.
You tell me to be kind and that to ignore someone isn’t nice.
But your actions ring loud in my ears this isn’t true,
I don’t learn by what you say, I learn by what you do.
Who are you without your phone. Everyday I wish I knew.
I wish you could learn to poses your possessions without them possessing you.
It is easy to disconnect and constantly look at others lives.
The challenge is in living your own, and exploring how to thrive.
Lets change the trend and start making those connections again with family and friends. Need some ideas on how to do that? Here are a few good suggestions.
Check out the A Reel Truth Gallery!
Disconnected was painted on a black 24×36 canvas with gouache.