Connecting

In Connecting, Charles H. Reinike III invites viewers into a visual and symbolic meditation on perception, knowledge, and transcendence. This striking composition blends the serenity of a classical landscape with conceptual abstraction, serving as both a narrative and a philosophical reflection on how we come to understand the world around us.

The lower half of the painting presents a tranquil, river. Trees on either side lean inward, guiding the viewer’s eye toward a distant, glowing horizon. The landscape, rendered in rich ochers and siennas, represents the tangible world—the one we perceive directly through our five senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. This portion of the canvas symbolizes what the artist describes as the first stage of the learning process, grounded in empirical observation.

The artist says "If we imagine our minds in our infancy as tabula rasas (or clean tablets) on which we build our knowledge through empirical observations, then we can say that this is the beginning of reason."

Above this landscape, five distinct "windows" float in the upper portion of the canvas, each containing stylized clouds rendered in soft blue and white. These clouds are not just atmospheric elements; they are containers of meaning. Each window includes a subtle visual symbol, inviting close inspection:

• A harp for hearing
• A pear for taste
• A hawk for sight
• A rose for smell
• A swan for touch

These symbols of the five senses are gently woven into the swirling clouds, echoing the artist’s assertion that sensory experience is the beginning of reason and knowledge. The clouds are ethereal yet framed—suggesting that while our perceptions are transient, they are also the foundation for deeper insight.

The central window stands out with its arched top—a motif rich in symbolic resonance. The arch is a recurring icon in Reinike’s work, often representing a gateway to understanding, a portal to the eternal, and the passage from physical perception to abstract thought. Its position above the vanishing point of the path below creates a strong vertical axis, emphasizing the idea of ascent—a spiritual or intellectual progression from the earthbound to the transcendent.

The light emanating from the horizon is another important symbol. It represents ultimate understanding and perfection, illuminating both the landscape and the reflected surface of the water. The reflections suggest the idea that the earthly world mirrors divine order, and that beauty and truth can be glimpsed through contemplation of the natural world.

Together, these elements form a cohesive visual philosophy. Connecting is not just a painting of a place—it is a painting of a process. It depicts the journey from sensation to awareness, from experience to meaning, and from the visible to the invisible. Reinike blends representational beauty with metaphysical inquiry, encouraging viewers to reflect on their own paths to understanding.