Epiphany!

 It must have been the tea along with the view this morning at sunrise. Two points swirling in my head super-collided into a burst that released tremendous energy.

#1 – I am a Landscape Architect, LA for short. Landscape architecture is a licensed profession that impact the life, health, and safety of our communities. I have been introduced by friends and at speaking engagements as a Landscape Artist. I never take offense. I get all the same questions about what I do and who I do it for. Plus, the inevitable question of “What is this plant?” or “Do you know what is killing my plant?”. I did wonder why Landscape Architect was hard to remember. Landscape Artist seemed to be the default for most people. I appreciate art. I collect art. I encourage people to create their own. I thought "I have no artistic talents".

 #2 - I have been asked ten thousand times why I live “out there”, “so far out”, “in the middle of nowhere”, “Isn’t it lonely?”, “Why so much property?” and on and on. You get the picture. This has happened more and more. It’s crescendo this week, just before Thanksgiving, had me thinking. And thinking. Thought some more.

 Explosion!!!!

No!

A Super Collision!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 I am both LA's. Landscape Architect and Landscape Artist. Artists create something. Could be physical, auditory, visual… It might be ephemeral or last for millennia. It is generally static with some that has a dynamic quality but only in a few qualities. Painters apply paint or pigment to a surface. They can create texture by adding paint or building up layers. When you look at a painting in different light or in a different mood, the painting changes. A musician creates the music and lyrics then records a song to give it some permanence. That recording is static. When played live it is dynamic and different every time. The effect of that ephemeral performance can be permanent on us. Think of the other arts and artistic endeavors, apply the same static, dynamic, ephemeral, and permanence views.  

 What artists get to live IN their art all day every day? ME!!!

 How many artists get to see their art propagate on its own? To see it attract other beautiful things to it? To see the sunrise and the sunset every day over it? To see their art clean the air and water? To have their art change every time you blink your eye? To have their art be life and death and life all at the same time. To have their art make adults kids again? I could go on and on.

 I get to live in my art. I sign my canvas every day. I act in the performance every day and in every season. I might get jeered at by a heckler (invasive species) but I get to eject the heckler from the theater.

 I own two 40 acres farms. I have protected 69.5 acres of the 80 in conservation easements. My art has legal protection. This is my gift to future generations.

 My art is science and my science is art.

 My faith has never been stronger that nature, my euphemism, is the source of all of our cures.

 My canvas is the surface of the earth.

 My art is local to the site and global in its impact.

 I am an American, yet I know that this art is truly international.

 I will share my art daily, proudly, hope you find it inspiring, and share it too.

I am going to proudly add that to my title:

Jack Pizzo MS, PLA, ASLA, ICN

CEO, Principal Landscape Architect, Senior Ecologist, Landscape Artist