Tuesday, January 17, 2012

New Year - New Series!


Chicago, Illinois
Sprawling cement jungles girded with steel beams and bejeweled with shimmering glass pay homage to man’s industrial spirit.  They reflect his desire to create, control, and reinvent his surroundings.  Since biblical days people have constructed massive feats of architecture to demonstrate their power and prowess. 
 
Nehantic State Park - Niantic, Connecticut
Nature’s demonstration of her majesty stands in stark contrast to man’s cement jungles.  Remember your last woodland hike or stroll through a lush city park.  You undoubtedly encountered trees along your path.  Some were tall, lean, and supple while others were swayed, knotty, and worn.  But nearly all of them stood with their arms stretched towards  heaven.  In seasons of rebirth these limbs were draped with emerald foliage.  In seasons of harvest they were clothed with brilliant, glowing colors revealed only as they struggled to maintain their relationship with the sun.  In seasons of desolation their naked limbs harbored beneath their surface sprouts of hope.   No matter the season, these trees pay homage to their energy source with their uplifted arms.

The journey of man and nature are interconnected.  Ancient people respected this relationship by learning from nature how to thrive simply on the energy provided by the Creator.  Trees were a recurring symbol in ancient religions for creation and death.  They signified both joy and pain.  They inspired royalty and commoners.
The Trees of Life Series employs this ancient symbol to tell the story of human celebration, growth, struggle, and pain.  Its trees  are a metaphor for life’s many journeys.  Just as the trees in a forest have a story to tell, so do the creations in the Trees of Life Series.   Their stories begin in the hands of the artist, but unfold in the mind of the observer.
 
As we embark on a new year, I am striving to push my art to explore textiles in ways I have never experienced.  The Trees of Life Series allows me to experiment with the sculptural qualities of textiles.  Please share with me your insights as I introduce each piece in the series.