Deep Dive: Silent Communion by Graeme Shaw

"The impediment to action advances action, what stands in the way becomes the way.”
- Marcus Aurelius

About the Artist

Graeme Shaw's evocative paintings are born from a lifelong communion with both the technical and spiritual aspects of art. Each canvas is a testament to his decades-long artistic journey, often involving an intricate, multi-layered process honed through countless hours of patient experimentation. Graeme favors an intuitive approach, relying on memory and fleeting impressions rather than photographic precision. His landscapes are less about capturing a specific place and more about conveying the profound feelings those places evoke.

Born in Calgary, Shaw's artistic path has been shaped by diverse experiences and landscapes across Western Canada and the Arctic. He began his artistic training under his mother, a fellow artist, and furthered his studies under the guidance of numerous professionals. A stint as a schoolteacher in a Dene community deepened his connection to the northern landscape and its people, leaving an indelible mark on his work.

Shaw's humility is as evident as his talent. He acknowledges the invaluable influence of mentors like Robert Genn, and believes that arrogance has no place in the pursuit of artistic truth. For Shaw, art is a sacred act, a means of connecting with the deeper essence of the world around us. His paintings invite viewers to share in this connection, to experience the quiet awe and wonder that he finds in the landscapes he portrays.

Links

Graeme Shaw's Artist Website

Farnam Street Blog: The Mountain

Brianna Wiest's The Mountain is You

Lara Crigger on The Hero and Heroine's Journey

Rick Benger on The mountain, the marketplace and the inn in-between 

The History and Mystery of the Tangram Puzzle

Wikipedia: Tangram

Interview with Dart Lindsley's Work for Humans

Jasen's Puzzle Design Notes

Creating jigsaw puzzles has become a way for me to process important steps along my personal journey, and this collaboration with Graeme Shaw's art has been particularly meaningful.

In Silent Communion, Graeme invites us to shift our gaze across the horizons, beyond the foreground and to the highest peaks. By looking into the distance and raising our sights, we can improve our "ken"—the fullest capacity of our vision, perception, understanding, and knowledge. Our potential is only limited by our gaze and the courage to walk through the valleys in order to climb to the vistas where our highest potential resides. Working on this particular collaboration with Graeme's art has given me the opportunity to mull over my growth as a father, husband, artist, and business owner.

This particular design has been in slow development since last summer. In a way, it is a companion piece and extension to the themes explored in Queen Bee. While Queen Bee was an invitation to embrace the ground truth of reality and our authenticity, Silent Communion urges us to take the next intentional step on our journey toward a fulfilling future. I'll likely expand on these themes in the future but this puzzle, like the mountain it depicts, is intended as a map to guide you through the terrain of self-discovery and transformation.

First, let me provide a mindset and framework for climbing any mountain:

1. Look up at the mountain. Appreciate its beauty.
   
   
2. Choose to deepen your appreciation by meeting it, wandering along the path worn by others who wondered "what's up there?"
   
   
3. Seek the others who want to climb with you. Hang out with people who will get you up the mountain. Use the appropriate skills and bring along the gear that fits you and your context.
   
   
4. Climb, one step at a time. If you're not out of breath or in danger, take another step.
   
   
5. Begin again.

Climbing mountains is a great way to provide a more fully alive perspective on your life. It provides an embodied experience that leads to a wider and higher outlook. Blogger Henrik Karlsson refers to this process as "Escaping Flatland". Here are some tips to keep in mind along the heroic journey up your mountain.

1. Gather yourself and the tools and resources you'll need on the Journey. Make friends of your environment.
   
   
2. With a scout mindset, prepare and practice valley and boundary crossing skills. Get wet & dive deep when you can safely do so (or when required).
   
   
3. Orient and assess your new situation in the unknown. Explore next steps and practice the expert skills for your upcoming challenges.
   
   
4. Expect the unexpected. Go with the flow. Transcend your losses.
   
   
5. When you get to the crux - the heart of the matter - speak friend and enter. Gaze briefly in the dark depths of your blindspots and uncover the treasure within to mine. Use or build bridges when wise to do so. Tame your inner dragons.
   
   
6. Look back and reflect for perspective. Piece together the lessons you've learned along the journey.
   
   
7. Seek friends of virtue to join in your next quest and embark on a journey of self-discovery. The Obstacle is The Way.

Remember, true reward lies not just in reaching the summit but in the growth and self-knowledge gained along the way. As you piece together Silent Communion, may you find the courage to embark on your own heroic journey, to embrace life challenges, and to uncover your hidden treasures within.

Whimsy List

• 37-piece Hidden Whimwham Aphorism
• 7-piece Tangram Puzzle Set
• 7-piece "The Obstacle is the Way" Tangram solution
• 5x Tangram Numbers
• 5x Tangram Arrows
• 12x Adventurous Poses
• 11x Friendly Creatures
• Several other Tangram Shapes
• 2x Candles
• 2x Mountain Ranges
• Sword
• Hammer
• Key
• Bridge
• Portal Gate
• Heart
• Pinwheel
• Boat
• Question Mark