This is why I paint "Mother Trees"

First let me start with the way I have been painting “Forest Families”

I was introduced to the subtle art of using egg tempera in oil paintings by a friend who learned from Daniel Mirante. Egg tempera (grassa) is an emulsion made from varnish (damar), stand oil (heat thickened linseed oil) and, of course, eggs. The use of tempera dates back as far as the 12th Century. That’s old as fuck!

I use it because it dries a lot faster than oil paint, so you can switch between tempera and oil to build up layers in a much more speedy process than just using oil paint. Liquin is a fast drying medium one can add to oil paint, but honestly I don’t like how it dries on canvas. Might have better luck with using it on wood, but I digress.

I like this method because it builds an atmospheric and luminous look to paintings, it is important in these mother tree paintings that they trigger an emotional response and I think often that is due to atmosphere.

WHY MOTHER TREES THO

The concept sprung out of my brain while I was writing a (terrible!) poem. It was called “An Immobile Life” and it was about how the Sakura trees in Japan celebrate their immobile lives by raining petals. I wrote it with the perspective of envy - how they relish the reality they are given, meanwhile I find it difficult to stay still.

One of my fears surrounding motherhood is losing “freedom”. The trees felt like an obvious symbol for that. What I like about it though is that anyone could look at this symbol and see it for what it is - motherhood as a connection to this earthly plane. And it is that. I want my art to have multiple interpretations. For me, it is 100% about my lifelong fear to become a mother.

My intention is to exorcise/ expel it from myself. Illuminate the darkness to create my own light. I’m really attracted to this subject right now… of doing shadow work. Of processing my bullshit through my art. I think I kind of always did that anyway, but was just much less aware.

Regular meditation has brought me lots of insight recently. Anyway, that’s enough for now.