The Ancient Trees and Totems came from my desire to revisit Magic Show, an earlier painting, and further explore its symbolic and compositional components. In the Totem paintings, I spent more time considering why Native American culture inspires me, and in particular, studying the elements that resonate with me.

 

Trees are strong symbols in many cultures around the world. This is also true in Native American mythology. To me, trees resemble humans, often in ways that seem biomorphic.

 

And like humans, every tree is unique. Their exteriors have many shades and textures, their interiors display markings reflective of time; they bear and drop leaves, and some produce flowers like offspring. Their branches bend and stretch as if they are dancers reaching for the sun. Branches, as they age, begin to look like uncomfortably contorted arms.

 

My Ancient Trees and Totem series acknowledges these old mammoth trees from several locations some from: high in the San Bernadino Mountains of Big Bear, Washington State, Palomar Mountain and the 200 year old cypress and tupelo trees in the swamps of Louisiana. These magnificent trees withstand extremes of weather from: tearing winds, driving snow and sleet, pounding rain, fierce fires, soil erosion or just lack of soil, to baking heat. They possess a deep soulful experience of wisdom and power as they stand tall in grandeur and strength, speaking to the most unshakable qualities of the human condition.