The Sower
This painting portrays the serene life of an Amish farmer, immersing viewers in the timeless traditions and values upheld by the Amish community.
When travelling through the countryside many years ago, I lost my way and drove into a small settlement. I was fascinated to see that people in this community lived in the way our ancestors lived centuries ago - plowing land with horses, washing clothes with hands, cooking food on fire… I immediately had a desire to catch all these scenes on my phone, to take photos and film everything around. But the Amish man came up to me and said I shouldn’t take photos of the Amish people. That’s considered to be something bad for them. If you make a photo of their face, you kind of steal their soul. So I put my phone back onto the car seat and walked around a bit, enjoying the peaceful scenes of this life where technological progress stopped one or two centuries ago…
I still had several photos on my phone, and I decided to put the essence of the Amish way of life onto the canvas. The kind of life, where a steadfast commitment to simplicity and a rejection of modern conveniences prevail. The focal point of this painting is the diligent farmer, guiding his horses as they faithfully plow the fertile earth. It is a symbolic reminder of a bygone era, evoking a sense of nostalgia for a simpler time when humanity was intimately connected to nature.
I did my best to capture the idyllic surroundings, showcasing the Amish farmer's picturesque property. You see a charming farmhouse and a magnificent barn bathing in the light of an early morning sun. I have always been mesmerised by the transformative power of the rising sun as it casts enchanting shadows and illuminates every detail, and in this case it also infuses the painting with a sense of tranquility and promise. It’s late March or early April, so the painting conveys the essence of spring, a time of rebirth and renewal. The farmer's commitment to his land is evident as he plows diligently, creating orderly furrows that will soon bear the fruits of his labor.
Working on this painting, I reflected a lot upon the timeless wisdom and resilience of the Amish way of life. The painting serves as a window to a world where simplicity, connection to nature, and unwavering dedication to tradition intertwine, offering a respite from the rapid pace of modernity.