Murals at Fruition: Receding, Re-Seeding | Kaitlyn Cronin

In fall 2021, six artists created incredible murals across hundreds of feet of Fruition’s barns!

Kaitlyn Cronin, hailing from the Massachusetts Berkshires, created

“Receding, Re-Seeding”

She began with a 40-foot wide canvas of corrugated metal barn, 20 feet tall at the apex.

Many thanks to the endless collaborative generosity of the Bristol Valley Theater for lending us their extraordinary scaffolding for our murals!

From Kaitlyn:

Creation is my devotional practice. As art comes into form through me, I am simultaneously transformed by the art. 

My work lives in the intersection of spirituality, mycology, ecology, and the integration of Death in the sacred cycle of life. The more that I dive into each of these avenues the more I recognize they are all languages describing the same phenomenon. By weaving these philosophies into visual art I hope to inspire others to take a deeper look into the ecosystem that holds us.

I strive to take responsibility for the effect of my existence, and through my actions and images, I hope to allow the illusion of separation to disintegrate and spark a remembrance of our interstitial and unique place in the expansive web. 

My creation process:

An ode to the cycle of life, the fabric of our reality, the ongoing dance of the seed…

…through growth, expansion, fruition, death and regeneration. 

This mural is an iteration of a vision that has been ripening within me for many years now. Amniotic / ammonitic chambers depict the fractalization of time through the life cycle of a seed. Highlighting the seasons, phases of growth and decay overlaid on the sky depicting the course of the day. 

The story originates in the center, the dark womb space of fertile soil…

…a spiraling mycelial matrix string below the surface…

…a seed impregnates the soil and with the assistance of nutrient-dense earth, mycelium, water and sun the seed begins to orient themselves in space and begins to sprout…

…as daylight breaks, the energy of spring emanates from the dance of pink blooms and a child spirit swinging from a tree branch.

Summertime brings forth steadfast blue skies, a strong reliable tree with rich green leaves…

…followed by the vibrant sunset sky and autumn leaves, palpable color and expression in the fleeting moments of both harvest and release. A couple gathers apples in gratitude and reverence of this abundant time of year, whilst also holding dear the landscape of death that begins to sweep the land.

As the colors of the day fade to a deep purple and the life of the tree wanes, mushrooms come forth as the death doulas of the earth, transmuting dying matter into new soil to be integrated back into the cycle.

An elder places their hand on their dying tree companion, as they too are surrendering to the cycle, releasing their bodily form to be consumed by the mycelium to be re-integrated into the web of life. 

The very last chambers on the right depict the decaying roots of the original nurse tree breathing forth new life into the seeds as they begin the cycle anew…

…the codes for potential are embedded in the seeds as the story spirals on and on.

I am joyous and humbled to have this artwork living at Fruition Seeds…

…whose care and reciprocity ripples as they lovingly nurture each seed they tend. 

May this Mural be my prayer.

May this mural breathe forth new life into the age old tale of growth and decay. 

May this imagery and the important work of Fruition Seed spark curiosity and excitement to listen closely to the teachings of the seeds. 

A vibrant thinker and creative inspiration, @cosmogyny asks, “How can you become the vehicle of another species’ story? How can you creatively and dynamically contribute to the total aliveness of the world? Perhaps at the cost of your own personal narrative?”

In this current phase of life, this is how I choose to navigate this interwoven fabric of intelligence that we are all apart of. By decentering my own narrative and allowing other sentient beings to move me.

Who is speaking to you? How can we dissolve more deeply into the beings around us? What practices allow us to open up to these truths?

We love you, Kaitlyn!

More than words or single-species narratives can ever say…

…and Friends, follow Kaitlyn’s ever-becoming on Instagram…

…and be blown away as you support as you share her brilliance in her Etsy shop ~

& the whole Fruition crew