Artist: Elise Wehle
Title: Serotinous
Medium: Pressed plants, acrylic paint, paper
Price: $2,000
Dimensions: 25 x 40 inches
Artist Statement: Every General Conference, there’s a talk about trials…the inevitability of trials, the inescapable nature of trials, that trials are unavoidable. I never gave that much thought until I had my three children, and I suddenly realized I didn’t want these beautiful babies to suffer. Lamenting that we do live in a fallen world whose problems appear unending, I felt overwhelmed with anxiety to the point that it began affecting my happiness and peace. I feared what was coming for my children and wondered if they would have the capacity to overcome it. Could I survive if they didn’t? Diving deep into my anxiety and exploring these issues the last couple of years has yielded beautiful insights, and I have accepted that suffering comprises an important aspect of our purpose here on earth. Like a serotinous tree that drops pinecones full of seeds that will not open unless during a wildfire, I’ve realized that growth, beauty, and joy can come from what feels like unbearable destruction.
