Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘storytelling’

Three Exhibitions Continue…More Observations in Nature!

Three Exhibitions to Explore in One Place! The new exhibition “Tree Time + Silos” by artist Amanda Love presents a photographic documentation of the prehistoric and endangered species, The Metasequoia (or Dawn Redwoods) with a sneak peak at “Silos” an outdoor exhibition also inspired by the Dawn Redwoods coming this fall. “Treewhispers” displays a “forest” of handmade paper and artistic exploration honoring trees by Pamela Paulsrud and the late Marilyn Sward. “It Sounds Like Love” by artist Cadine Navarro creates a place of encounter with native Ohio prairie seeds.

Read Full Post »

Story and art by anonymous “Christmas Baby”

Read Full Post »

Photos by Pamela Paulsrud

Read Full Post »

I never cease to be amazed and delighted by the creative stories and art that are shared!

There were two trees.

They are friends.

They have a bird friend too.

Although they can talk to each other through their bird friend.

They cannot play or touch each other.

There was a road in between them.

Then they both grew up.

And one day they can touch each other’s leaves and branches.

They are happy now.

They brid friend sings a song for them.

SDG

I climbed a tree almost.

Read Full Post »

Read Full Post »

Handmade paper and Mary Oliver story revered by Emilie Eklund, Grand Rapids, MI

In anticipation and celebration of the upcoming 2023 exhibition at Audubon, I’m combing the archives to honor the commensalistic relationship of birds and trees.

Read Full Post »

Handmade paper and artwork by Kaligrafos Guild member/Dallas /Fort Worth Metroplex

Read Full Post »

Anonymous

Read Full Post »

Book and Literary Arts Afternoon organized by Artist Book House at Evanstonmade provided one of many opportunities to engage with the artists and the art at 921 Church Street, Evanston, IL.

Evanstonmade will continue to host events through Dec. 19. Join the fun!

Read Full Post »

A long awaited for and incredibly breathtaking capture of the Kaligrafos – Calligraphy Guild journey with Treewhispers.

Congratulations to Thomas Burns, the Council of Oaks and a multitude of Kaligrafos – Calligraphy Guild enthusiasts. Your narration, photos, videos, and sound/music choices beautifully unveiled the many months of dedication to the project—and truly its essence—the connection we have with one another—and trees, of course.

My heartfelt gratitude for your continued dedication and perseverance even—and especially— in the face of disappointment. The unique approach to the virtual exhibition in the woods (a collaboration with the trees—how perfect!) will surely touch others in a way that a gallery exhibit might otherwise not.

Read Full Post »

Read Full Post »

I LOVED doing my “Exploring Calligraphic Lines Thru the Trees” Workshop. 

I enjoyed giving them a new project each week of different tree styles & techniques. They all picked their own wording to go with each design.


Students have sent fabulous feedback and are still posting – we have a FB group for them. So happy that it went well!! I would love to do it again for other groups in the future.  


I truly believe, we were all connected because of the subject – everyone had such a beautiful feeling for the trees and the energy they all brought to the class. I was blown away and truly amazed.

Artwork/Text by Barbara Close

Read Full Post »

MVIMG_20171128_125503~2

Read Full Post »

IMG_9338

I was lucky enough to grow up on a big lake outside Battle Creek Michigan. Our house faced sunset and my dad and I enjoyed watching sunsets and changes in weather together.

One of the most beautiful things about living on Goguac Lake (an old Indian name), was the amazing tree cover. The whole area had beautiful tall, mature trees that had been there for a long, long, time. In the summer there when it was hot and steamy, as we drove up to the house the air temperature was at least ten degrees cooler up by the house, thanks to the trees. We were very aware of what a gift it was to live where we did under those big, beautiful trees.

IMG_9340

Text and art by Kathy McCreedy, Michigan

Read Full Post »

IMG_0185

Artwork by Linda Bravata

Read Full Post »

IMG_5815 copy

Handmade paper and artwork by Mason

Read Full Post »

intrusion

This poetry was submitted by Amy Oestreicher. Her courageous life’s story and connection to trees will be featured in a follow-up post.

intrusion
by Amy Oestreicher
1/28/15
POETRY AS A SPIRITUAL PRACTICE

Whether I am the trespasser, alien
The outcast, the tortoise turned on its side
I can see the stream from here
And I long to dance with the source.

Can I fish for you, blue glimpse?
A glimpse of the word as it was intended to be?
The realism thrills me

In a world of
Perfec
t:
geometricshapes,painted signs,brightredautomobiles,

my hollow shell overflows with relief.
For I have now caught the world in coy disarray, in bashful asymmetry.
(I’m sorry I disturbed you – I had thought you were done changing)

But fair lilies in the stream, let me flatter you:

You are such unperturbed beauty; a beautiful mess
Some divine energy had a penchant for modern art.

This trail I stumble down begs to recount to me, pleads, “Can I tell you a story?”
Of What? What – some kind of archetypal tale to us with its paw prints, bird calls, freaks and daddy long legs crawling under rocks like blue crabs
Moist air
Shadowed filth
rocking trees comforting one another in this dark forest community.
Blue forest glimpse – you are my catch and my soul is your bait.
Here is my glimpse of the world as it was intended to be
Realism thrills me as the wind now thrills your branches.

In a world of perfect geometric shapes, of painted signs, of bright red automobiles…
I’ve wandered, lonely and seeking a friend, and I ask, can I belong?
Crumble-crumble-crumble
I venture down and down further, and down.
I am a lone pebble, but unstranded, moving with the stream of wind that caresses the branches above me.

In each crumble, I breathe in the equalizing power of nature, of burgeoning love that transcends the limitations of being 5’3 when the trees are so tall.

The air sings and swells with a knowing comfort, a tune I have heard my whole life, as constant as the seasons

and now, I look up at the dense ceiling of trees and whisper, “Thanks.”
before even realizing that I had said it.

And now the dance begins! The dance that I can join too!
And the violins play, and there are brass, and winds, and chords, and reeds, and strings, and shrubs, pebbles, rocks, debris and slugs – sound and color and light!
Trees start to rock back and forth
dance with my awe,
They reply, “Yes.” Yes!

I am the lone pebble tymbling and tumbling, being shaped and molded by the ground beneath me, as it has beneath centiures and centures of lava and strata
And then I stop for I am stopped

A large oak tree firmly itself from the others.

I whispered to it, “Tree, sway for me…sway for me please…” it didn’t budge.

I’m lowered from my floating enchantment.

My soul-bait is anchored once again, as a fervent wind dodges
Corner to corner
Boomerang from trunk to trunk
Wind so dynamic it flickers like fire.

Wind so hasty it drenches flimsier trees with its own leaking madness.

All limbs of the forest shake madly now
All limbs of my body petrified with wonderment.

We are all shaking madly! dizzy and startled by the whippings of the delirious wind

Nature restores its internal pulse
The wind’s wrath quickly wearies
Settles
Smaller gusts
Internal pulsing
Regulation
Even nature must sleep
Internal pulsing
prompts a limb of the stubborn oak tree to coyly bob up and down.
And the world was finally in sync.

I thank this forest sanctuary one more time before I leave.
I am a most welcome trespasser, and my shell is filled with burgeoning blue light

Goodnight, forest.

And all I could think about was how wonderful it would be to hold someone’s hand, staring at the trees together, in simultaneous awe, no words in our breath but all winds in our souls.

Read Full Post »

The Center (http://www.thecenterpalos.org/) at Palos Park, IL hosted an Outdoor Women’s Retreat this summer. Tree stories were shared with some of the results below. Thank you Lois Lauer for sending these images.
 

women's reteat women's retreat 2 women's retreat 3

Read Full Post »

I wanted to share an incredible project relating to trees entitled “Seasons Rewound”—and the artists who created it, Barbara Pankratz and Barbara Johnston, both from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

They described it as a book five feet tall with an open back page spread that is 7 feet across. They used paper called weed block that they were able to purchase in 25 feet rolls, 3 feet across. They built all the pages then drew, painted and cut. There are three layers, the background layer, the tree layer then a little layer in the front with seven openings. The covers are matt board covered with painted canvas.

They mentioned that they spent one day a week for three years working on it. As they said it really was all about the process—they were not really concerned about the end product and they both felt the book literally made itself.

It was a wonderful collaboration. In their words: “The natural world is at the heart of everything we both do creatively. This oversize book was our attempt to represent a deep emotional and sensory connection to the changing seasons and to communicate our “larger-than-life” enthusiasm for the stunning visual experience this constant cycle affords.”image001 image002 image003 image004

Read Full Post »

At the Legacies II Conference in Dallas, Tom Burns kindly shared his contribution to the Treewhispers project. Beautiful! Thanks Tom!!! IMG_5613 2

IMG_5826Photo by Pamela Paulsrud

Read Full Post »

Older Posts »