THEODORE PAYNE FOUNDATION
2019 Artist-In-Residence
Randall Von Bloomberg: Tikkun Olam and the California Native Garden
Artist Statement
Tikkun Olam is a concept in Judaism that means “repair the world.” According to medieval Jewish mysticism, the world was created perfect. Soon after this creation, there was a cosmic shattering that scattered sparks across the world. Tikkun Olam is a call for humanity to restore what was shattered, to find and gather these “holy sparks” and piece them back together. Cultivating a California native garden is a way to practice Tikkun Olam. It is a call to restore the landscape more closely to how it existed before humans altered it.
Our introduction of exotic plants has caused havoc on the native landscape, choking out indigenous plant species and threatening the creatures that thrive on them. To look good, exotic gardens require regular water, pesticides and fertilizers. By contrast, California native gardens are easier to grow because the plants evolved here. Most of our native plants are drought tolerant. They are pest resistant and need no fertilizers.
A California native garden creates habitats that sustain resident and migratory wildlife, including insects and birds. By supporting the local ecosystem, native gardens help maintain animal and plant diversity, and may delay or prevent extinction. If practiced globally, gardening with local native plants can greatly benefit our environment.
My painting process is slow and meticulous, and based on careful observation. Each painting is an exploration of a specific native plant or landscape. I find each painted image by gathering and layering brushstrokes of broken colors. These dabs of colors intermingle, like subatomic particles, forming the solid plant shapes and the spaces that surround them. Through the nuance of my craft, I seek out the hidden “holy sparks” that compose the cosmic energy contained in and emanating from these living things. Through my painting practice, I answer the call of Tikkun Olam, by building a sensitivity and awareness to our surrounding landscape, and calling attention to the need to cultivate native gardens.
Randall Von Bloomberg
September 2019