About No. 35

All of my painting are personal but, this one is more sentimental. When you have children, you get used to life being a certain way. So, when our eldest was leaving home for college, it was challenging. We knew that soon, all the children would be gone and we were scared for them. One day, I passed a tree grove and noticed a few trees sprouting up on the fringe. The seeds had somehow gotten there and even though the saplings were no longer part of the main group, they were still close by. I realized that this is how trees grow into forests, which gave me comfort and a sense of joy. I had envisioned the single tree to represent the child but, now that I’m older, I realize it’s the other way around. – Originally titled, “Leaving Home,” implied fear and isolation when in reality, it’s an image of hope and celebration. This painting is from the beaded curtain series, see the link below for more.