Part II of: Pause to Breathe in the Humanity, one brushstroke and one branch at a time as 8 more TREE artists share a forest-full of inspiration
- Jennifer Gillia Cutshall
- Mar 10
- 3 min read
...because It's always a good time to pause for nature and art
"The stories I read as a child often had passages that included people taking shelter in the roots and hollows of trees. I found this magical but unfathomable because the trees I knew had shallow roots and sturdy pillars for trunks. When I lived in England, I discovered new trees with these hollow havens. I have always loved the idea of trees as home. Dreys, squirrel nests, the clumps of leaves we see especially in winter on leafless branches, tell us that they are truly a refuge. Truly lifegiving. For us and for other creatures."
JENNIFER VIVIANO
LINDA PLAISTED
"I use art as a therapeutic practice; turning to nature, reaching to the light.
In the words of a Leonard Cohen song-
There is a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in
In this work I collaged my original photography with collected paper ephemera and poked hundreds of tiny holes in the resulting prints, adding places for light to get in and love to shine out; alchemizing dark materials into light."
Linda Plaisted
GARY WESTFORD
"My painting Waterfall (The Source) is based on an imagined trip I take to a remote location in nature, where a waterfall exists that is literally the source for all life and life forms found in nature. For me, the painting represents a deeply spiritual location, one where it’s possible to witness the miraculous occurrence of life forms (circles, spheres, orbs) literally being formed from a waterfall. Water (the source of all life/breath of humanity) cascades from a high cliff landscape, where a misty forest is seen beneath a full moon, and it is materialized into the essence of life itself.
A companion painting Lake (The Source): Kohei Nawa Deer, 5 x 6 ft, oil on canvas, 62 x 74 inches, is shown below. This painting was inspired by Japanese artist Kohei Nawa (born 1975), whose work I had seen at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY."
Gary Westford
ANITA BALKUN
"The quiet presence of trees - the forest - plays a major role in the way I experience life, every day. I’m so very fortunate to live surrounded by their quiet support and company, in my yard and on my walks. They offer lessons of growth, transformation, resilience and adaption - and all of that becomes embedded in my artwork.
I consider my artistic explorations as collaborations with nature. Trees provide a continuous source of inspiration and materials, fueling my ideas and processes. I incorporate bark, twigs, pods, leaves and transform them into natural dyes, prints, or spine embellishments. Their organic forms have become an integral part of my visual language and expressions."
Anita Balkun
GREGORY KESSLER
“Fall seven times, stand up eight.” Japanese Proverb
“My Religion is Kindness” The 14th Dali Lama
"To be respectful to the planet and its life is not difficult. It simply requires awareness, understanding and compassion, that extends beyond the individual. Some hallmarks of humanity, include selflessness, humility and silence. These are qualities that our planet and vegetation exude. At the same time, the forbearance of the earth is limited and cannot be assumed.
In my piece entitled “Resilience,” the trees are seeking respect and understanding. On the horizon, a sunrise dawns, a symbol of hope and possibility, that our actions and deeds will contribute to the well-being of our home."
Gregory Kessler
NANCY HELMSWORTH
"I have found refuge in the forest since childhood, but it finally became a setting for my work eight years ago. The fear of climate vulnerability was becoming a reality and in the forest I looked to the trees as examples of resilience and longevity, worthy of protection.
The forest is an intersection of complex and interdependent life and my first work was about nurse logs, a much needed personal reminder that all stages of living have a role in the circle of life."
Nancy Helmsworth
DAVID CARMACK LEWIS
"I don’t want to tell people what to think. Art should pose questions, not impose answers. In the case of “Relic”, one of those questions might be, “What is our relationship with trees?” There’s a lot of answers to that; simplistic ones being the least satisfying. Good questions are like that. The best questions can’t really be answered at all, only contemplated."
David Carmack Lewis
LISA GLICKSMAN
"The theme, "Tree: Breath of Humanity" appealed to me because of the view of trees out my window. The trees inspire me on a daily basis. The hawthorn tree accommodates a squirrel’s nest (Almondine’s). I love watching her acrobatics across the trees and fence. We call it “Tree T.V..” When I remembered I had “squirreled away” a photo frame from the 90’s featuring a retro t.v., the
piece was built around that."
Lisa Glicksman
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