Tree of Life
It was in studying the rings of a tree that I began to reconsider the rhythm of growth.
About the Piece
Tree of Life emerged from an ongoing body of work inspired by the rings of a tree. Each ring became a kind of visual biography, marking seasons of growth, grief, movement, healing, abundance, and rest.
The work began simply: raw canvas stretched across oversized hoops, layered with watercolor washes that felt fluid and uncontrollable. Into those painted surfaces I stitched fragments of memory — vintage fabrics from unfinished quilts, worn clothing, collected textiles, and handwork learned over years of travel and study. Crochet techniques learned in England. Needle felting discovered during a class in Canada. Embroidery, weaving, paint, pastels, and stitch slowly accumulated into richly layered surfaces.
But over time, the work itself began reflecting an inner tension.
As more techniques and materials were added, the quietness I had been searching for slowly disappeared beneath visual complexity. What began as a celebration of creativity eventually became overwhelming — crowded with too much movement, too much noise, too many competing layers.
It was in studying the rings of a tree that I began to reconsider the rhythm of growth.
We rarely see the life of a tree until it has been cut down. Only then do the rings reveal the full story: seasons of abundance and drought, fire and rainfall, rapid growth and dormancy. Within each ring exists the rhythm of the seasons themselves — lighter bands formed during the quick growth of spring, darker bands emerging as growth slows in late summer.
And then winter.
A season not of production, but of rest. No new growth. Only a quiet boundary before the next ring begins.
That realization became central to this work.
Not every season is meant to produce endlessly. Simplicity, too, has a rhythm — one built on restraint, patience, spaciousness, and trust in slow growth over time.
This piece reflects my longing for that kind of simplicity: simple lines, repetitive stitches, muted palettes, and enough open space for the work — and the viewer — to breathe.
As a mixed media artist, that pursuit has often felt paradoxical. My creative process is deeply intuitive and emotional. Watercolor calms me. Stitching slows me. Vintage fabrics carry memory and comfort. Moving between materials keeps my mind engaged and allows me to process emotion through making.
Yet this work asks a quieter question: what happens when we resist the urge to continually add? What happens when we allow the ground to rest?
Tree of Life is both an artistic practice and a personal meditation on slowing down, embracing restraint, and trusting that growth and healing often happen beneath the surface — quietly, patiently, and unseen.
Tree of Life
Watercolor, Acrylic Ink, Pastels, Fabric, and Yarn | A Mixed Media Embroidery Hoop Collection, hoop sizes ranging from 6” - 14”
