The Spirit of the Tree

2003 - 18" x 12" - Watercolor, Arches Aquarelle watercolor paper

While enjoying an afternoon at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, IL, I noticed a wonderful tree whose branches created a little environment, a small room, all its own. I could imagine faeries frolicking there when humans aren’t looking.

Surprisingly, my developed photograph produced a face in the tree’s bark. Some might say it was just a quirk of the play of light and shadow on the tree’s bark at that particular time of day. It’s more fun to believe that my camera just happened to capture the spirit of the tree. The image made appealing subject matter for a watercolor.

A digital image of this painting was shown at Artexpo New York 2007, Jacob Javits Convention Center, Art-Exchange booth, March 1-2, 2007.