The Process of Creating

I wrote earlier about an exhibition of 15-20 paintings that will be hanging at one of the Clackamas County Galleries for 3 months, beginning May 15th.

I'm envisioning "The Grove" to be a wall of trees, one to two trees per canvas. Each canvas can vary in size and dimension. I think it would be nice if the curator would hang all the canvases even at the bottom and let the top edges vary in size.

Inspiration: Saw the shape of this beautiful tree as I drove by the other day. Just had to take a quick photo.

In researching my concept, I found the following quote written by early twentieth century French poet and philosopher, Paul Valery:

"The tree and love: in our minds the two can unite to become one idea. Each grows from an imperceptible germ, becomes stronger, expands, branches out, but to the same extent that it reaches skyward (or blissward) it must become rooted in a sphere invisible to us in our very being."

How simply wonderful to visualize love in this way, as one of nature's most beautiful creations, a tree. I can't think of a better love symbol than that.

Inspiration: Spring green and pink tips in the foliage contrast with white bark on a tree in my front yard.

I am finding my inspiration for painting "The Grove" from books of famous tree paintings and from nature in my back yard and the surrounding community.

Inspiration: Pretty green mossy bark and white flowers on a plum tree in my yard.

Over the next few weeks I'll post about my progress and show you in process paintings from my studio and also photos from my farm and from history books of some my a few of my favorite artist's vision's of trees.

It's the time of year for pretty spring bouquets. Ceramic vase created by PosthasteArt, Erica Hanson