I’m excited to share the Empathy Collection with you! These are six of my past paintings that I am inspired to share with words about our current times.
Separate from these, I have an upcoming exhibition of seven carved paintings that will be shown at the Initial Point Gallery in Meridian City Hall that will be up for the month of February, with the reception happening Tuesday, February 3, 4:30 – 7:00. The theme of this group show is Storied Connections and includes an array of works about anticipation.
HOWEVER, this blog post is going to focus on six past paintings that make up the Empathy Collection. Let’s dive in!
The Empathy Collection
Parable of the Sower
Parable of the Sower
Parable of the Sower is one of my earliest works. The original sold rapidly, but high-quality prints are still available for Parable of the Sower.
It is a carved painting on basswood exploring the abundance that comes from deep roots in good soil. It is also a self-portrait of the artist as both seedling and gardener, grounded in God’s earth.
This painting represents early human development of identity as a person who is cared for, and is therefore able to care for others. This strong beginning has its roots in prosocial behavior with the development of voluntary actions intended to benefit others and society by helping, sharing, and cooperating.
It is motivated by empathy. It is the grounding of social connections and overall well-being.
In times like ours, roots like these are desparately needed to assure a functioning and beneficial society for people to learn and grow and thrive in ways that uphold the dignity and worth of all people and creatures on our fragile planet.
Meditation/Prayer
Meditation/Prayer
Meditation/Prayer is a carved painting on basswood that shows the connection with others in moments of deep contemplation of existence.
Feelings of a sense of shared destiny to care for one another and creation are strengthened and imbued with meaning.
Gather Together
Gather Together
Gather Together is a woodblock print and painting inspired by Maundy Thursday, capturing Jesus and the disciples at the Last Supper. It reflects Jesus’ commandment to “love one another” in the shadow of the cross.
Like the gruesome nature of crucifixion, this next painting isn’t one I show very many places, and isn’t featured on my website, because of its gruesome nature.
Sunshine on the Battleground
Sunshine on the Battleground
Sunshine on the Battleground deals with war and misanthropy and despair. It was born of the Ukraine war, famines, oppression, and genocides that are ongoing. Added to this despair, in my current experience, is the rise of fascism in my country, America.
I once thought America had invincible protections for all people, but our democracy is being eroded by the evils of greed, selfishness, divisiveness, ignorance, xenophobia, bigotry, and indifference and even delight in suffering.
Empathy has fallen out of favor with those in power. A renewal of desparately needed empathy, harkening people to their better angels, is our only hope.
Empathy for the World
Creating Empathy for the World
Empathy for the World
Empathy for the World is part of the Empathy series, in which circles represent beings, bare wood represents suffering, and threads stretched by nails are good intentions and thoughts that connect sometimes, but also at times miss their mark, represented by directionless threads.
The painting pictures threads of good intentions, has one of the threads missing to symbolize the gravity of suffering and struggles and sometimes the inability the individual has to even reach others with immense problems. But empathic people, in cooperation with one another to provide aid to those near and far, can have powers of immense healing of our broken world.
As these paintings illustrate, empathy starts when one learns about helping their neighbors and the earth.
Bright Flicker at Dawn
Bright Flicker at Dawn
Bright Flicker at Dawn is a carved painting on African mahogany that shows the darkness of our current times. But through empathy and loving our neighbor, even the darkest hour gives way to the sun on the horizon!
Conclusion
Most faiths, or even those with an absence of faith, hold dear a version of the Golden Rule. This tenet, “love your neighbor as yourself” unites us against those who would divide and oppress us, and includes care for the earth, which will matter to future generations, our neighbors to whom we leave the planet.
A powerful action one can do for our world is to love and educate children with prosocial behavior. When children are loved, they are able to love. Basic helping, sharing, and cooperating; skills and values that are the seeds of empathy, learned at a young age, hold the hope of the future!
Thanks for joining me on this artistic journey.
Join Me at Storied Connections
Additionally, I have seven works in a group show entitled “Storied Connections” for the month of February 2026.
Here are the details:
- What: Initial Point Gallery February 2026 “Storied Connections” Show
- When: Opening Reception February 3rd 4:30-7:00pm. The show is up till March 1, 2026.
- Where: Initial Point Gallery located on the third floor of Meridian City Hall (33 E. Broadway Ave. Meridian, Idaho 83642.)
Thank you for supporting the arts, and Peace be with you!
– Gretchen Weitemier