Collection: Trees

Who does not love trees? My mother used to tell us that trees provide us with energy and clean the air we breathe. She did not want us to cut down any of the trees on our farm, but my siblings and I did carve our initials into the bark of a number of trees.

I was always amazed at the white core beneath the bark of the trees when we made our marks on them. After a few months, the white letters turned to brown, then greyish black, and with the passage of time, we could no longer see our initials clearly. When I noticed our marks on the trees over the years, it brought back memories of those beautiful summer days. Days when we used to build forts in the trees' shade, fashion bows and arrows from their branches and cut sticks for roasting wieners. When we were practicing for our high school track meets, we would pound nails into the trees, lay a board across the nails, and practice our high jump.

Trees are like dear friends in that they are always there for you and assist you in making sense of a frequently perplexing world. When you need to reclaim your mental health, go for a walk in the woods, plant a tree, or enjoy the grain of a handcrafted wooden bowl. This series of paintings was inspired by trees and working with wood has introduced me to an entirely new world. Working with wood feels almost like working with sculpture; my paints are inspired by the patterns already present in the natural grain, allowing my mind to imagine what it could be rather than seeing "just another piece of wood."