My Cairn

 

Cherryl Romaniszyn

Cherryl Romaniszyn, My Cairn, 2022, Mixed media on canvas: acrylic, mulberry paper, and map, 11 x 14 inches.

 

Cairns are created to mark time and space and can be a unique reminder of the temporary nature of life while simultaneously striving to lengthen the memory of individuals or events. In Cherryl Romaniszyn’s My Cairn, a stone monument dominates a distant landscape, a fusion of Indianapolis and Pike’s Peak. This cairn and its setting mark events and places from the artist’s life and her journey with God.

The rocks of the cairn are carefully chosen to represent places: Indiana limestone, Colorado granite, and greystone from Ireland. The rocks contain small, carved symbols, including Celtic rings (Ireland, C.S. Lewis) and emblems of Romaniszyn’s birth, marriage, and faith. Split and battered stones signify broken relationships, times of hardship, and spaces of doubt. Each stone represents part of life–part of the broken, restored, and continuing journey with God and serves as a reminder to the viewer that God marks our lives and gives us the gift of memory to help us glimpse and remember that He unfolds His infinite plan within the boundaries of time. 

Additional Information & Resources

Cherryl Romaniszyn

Cherryl Romaniszyn received an MA in Art Education at Indiana University, where her first love was black and white photography. She enjoys both realistic watercolor painting and the layering process of mixed media. Romaniszyn draws inspiration for her art from reading and from hiking in Colorado, which nurtures her desire to hike and discover more visual beauty.

Christa Issler