Artist Statement for The Opening

By Carolyn Treadway

Patriarchy too often is deeply entrenched in our world view and social interaction. It is like a gigantic and formidable stone wall, surrounding us at every turn, blocking a greater, gentler view. But at times there are openings to something quite different. 

This photo shows an opening which allows us to move from darkness into spaciousness and light. We can see a different world, but we are not in it yet, as we have to pass through a transformation. This opening could be seen as the birth canal. At the top left of the opening is the face of an old crone (with a jutting out chin) who serves as midwife to our passage. Alternatively, the face of an old white man (with jutting out nose) is a guardian of this passage. He looks down, watching for anyone trying to escape and preventing them from leaving the darkness of patriarchy. Their shifting shapes invite us to be mindful of when we are guardians of the old and midwives to birthing the new.

Carolyn Treadway is a therapist, pastoral counselor, social worker, and life coach, now retired after more than 60 years of facilitating change and growth in people’s lives.  She “speaks for Earth” however she can—as a climate leader and mentor (trained by Al Gore and the Climate Reality Project) since 2007, anti-nuclear activist, conference planner, workshop facilitator, writer, editor and photographer. She and Molly Brown co-edited Held in Love: Life Stories to Inspire Us Through Times of Change. Since the early-1980s she has been part of the Work That Reconnects. With her husband Roy, she lives in Lacey, Washington. Their three children and four young grandchildren constantly fuel her motivation to preserve our precious Earth. Contact her at Carolyn@PlanetCare.us.