My Forest Studio
I love the forest. For me, it’s a mysterious and nurturing place that soothes my mind, body, and soul. When I can’t be in my art studio, creating art, you’ll find me in my forest studio… Being nurtured by nature so I can Dream, Imagine, and Create…
I love the forest. For me, it’s a mysterious and nurturing place that soothes my mind, body, and soul.
Where I live, I’m surrounded by the huge, grandfather trees of the rainforests in British Columbia. Whenever I can, I make my way into the woods for a run, a hike, or simply a leisurely walk. Not only is it healthy fresh air, but it’s also therapeutic!
In Japan this is a practice called shinrin-yoku. Shinrin means forest and yoku means bath, so it translates to forest-bathing. You don’t need to exercise to receive the benefits of the forest, you only need to take in the atmosphere of the forest through your senses, so just taking time out from your busy life and going into the woods brings positive health benefits.
Here's a little video I made a couple of years ago when I was in Norway. It's a beautiful and tranquil place…
“Get lost in nature and you will find yourself.”
When I can’t be in my art studio, creating art, you’ll find me in my forest studio… Being nurtured by nature so I can Dream, Imagine, and Create…
“The fairy-tale journey may look like an outward trek across plains and mountains, through castles and forests, but the actual movement is inward, into the lands of the soul.”
Dream Catcher (read the fairy tale)
Dream Catcher, a Fairy Tale
A few years ago I lived in a little cottage in the woods. The cottage was surrounded by trees… Great, big grandfather trees. It was very dark in the winter evenings as I made my way home through the woods (with the help of the light shining from my cell phone!). Inside the cottage I felt safe though, nestled amongst the trees and listening to the rushing stream that ran past the cottage and the occasional owl or chattering raccoons…
A few years ago I lived in a little cottage in the woods. The cottage was surrounded by trees… Great, big grandfather trees. It was very dark in the winter evenings as I made my way home through the woods (with the help of the light shining from my cell phone!). Inside the cottage I felt safe though, nestled amongst the trees and listening to the rushing stream that ran past the cottage and the occasional owl or chattering raccoons.
It was during this time that I began my forest series of paintings. My painting Dream Catcher is of the forest near my cottage in West Vancouver. While painting Dream Catcher, a little story began to form… and so I wrote it down. It’s called Dream Catcher, a Fairy Tale.
You can read along in my blog here, or flip through the shortened version I created on Steller.
Dream Catcher is the first in a series of paintings that explore the forest as a place of fairy-tales, myth and magic. In stories and legends trees are symbols of wisdom, strength, endurance, protection, secret knowledge, life and fertility. In fairy tales the forest symbolises the unconscious and is a place of initiation. Entering the dark forest and the unknown, one confronts hidden aspects of the self in order to experience a re-birth and gain a new understanding and knowledge of life...
Read Dream Catcher a Fairy Tale on Steller
Read the full story on my blog
View the Dream Catcher Collection
Dream Catcher
Dream Catcher is the first in a series of paintings that explore the forest as a place of fairy-tales, myth and magic. In stories and legends trees are symbols of wisdom, strength, endurance, protection, secret knowledge, life and fertility...
A few years ago I lived in a little cottage in the woods. The cottage was surrounded by trees… Great, big grandfather trees... On winter evenings, it was very dark as I made my way home through the woods, (with the help of the light shining from my cell phone). Inside the cottage I felt safe though, nestled amongst the trees and listening to the rushing stream that ran past the cottage, and the occasional owl or chattering raccoons.
It was during this time that I began my forest series of paintings. My painting Dream Catcher is from the forest near my cottage in West Vancouver. While painting Dream Catcher, a little story began to form… and so I wrote it down. It’s called Dream Catcher, a Fairy Tale.
You can read along in my blog here, or flip through the shortened version I created on Steller.
Dream Catcher, 60" x 48", oil on canvas
Dream Catcher is the first in a series of paintings that explore the forest as a place of fairy-tales, myth and magic. In stories and legends trees are symbols of wisdom, strength, endurance, protection, secret knowledge, life and fertility. In fairy tales the forest symbolizes the unconscious and is a place of initiation. Entering the dark forest and the unknown, one confronts hidden aspects of the self in order to experience a re-birth and gain a new understanding and knowledge of life.
Now available ~ Fine Art Prints
These museum quality fine art prints are available in standard sizes and ready to frame with a one & a half inch border, or in larger print sizes with a smaller border and ready for to custom framing.
Dream Catcher ~ part two
When we last left off, Rose was captured by the Old Woman of the forest and held as prisoner under an old, old tree...
When we last left off, Rose was captured by the Old Woman of the forest and held as prisoner under an old, old tree... (read part one here)
Into the Forest...
Last Spring I published a little story on Steller. It's a fairy tale that came to me as I painted Dream Catcher. Here is Part One if you missed it...
“If I’m honest I have to tell you I still read fairy-tales and I like them best of all.”
Dream Catcher
My painting Dream Catcher will be on display at next weekend's North Shore Art Crawl, before moving to its new home. Here is a little story I wrote last year while painting Dream Catcher...
Dream Catcher 60" x 48" Oil on Canvas
My painting Dream Catcher will be on display at next weekend's North Shore Art Crawl, before moving to it's new home...
I'll be at 195 Studios on Pemberton Ave., North Vancouver March 7th and 8th, 10 am - 6 pm. Hope to see you there... (and be sure to catch our fashion show at 1:00 pm March 7th!).
Here is a little story I wrote last year while painting Dream Catcher:
In the forest painting...
In stories and legends trees are symbols of wisdom, strength, protection, secret knowledge, life and fertility. In fairy tales the forest symbolizes the unconscious and is a place of initiation...
In stories and legends trees are symbols of wisdom, strength, protection, secret knowledge, life and fertility. In fairy tales the forest symbolizes the unconscious and is a place of initiation.
Entering the dark forest and the unknown, one confronts hidden aspects of the self in order to experience a re-birth and gain a new understanding and knowledge of life...
I loved reading fairy tales when I was young. And now, as I work on my latest forest painting, I see this symbolism come to life. So what better place to explore this than my ancestral home of Norway?...
Next week I'm off to the land of trolls and the midnight sun!
Dream Catcher
Rose was free. There was nothing left of the Old Woman but a puddle on the ground that slowly began to seep into the earth.
The woods came alive now that the Old Woman was gone. The birds sang joyfully and all the animals came out from hiding bearing gifts of jewels, crystal and gold, and Rose filled her pockets with the treasures...
(read the previous episode here)
(read from the beginning)
Rose was free. There was nothing left of the Old Woman but a puddle on the ground that slowly began to seep into the earth.
The woods came alive now that the Old Woman was gone. The birds sang joyfully and all the animals came out from hiding bearing gifts of jewels, crystal and gold, and Rose filled her pockets with the treasures.
Rose looked up at the golden web shimmering in the sunlight. In the centre was a large circle or hole. But there was something odd about it. She walked closer and saw that the centre of the web appeared to be a circular window.
“Look through the web and tell me what you see,” said Lucky. So Rose climbed up a tree and perched on a branch next to the web.
“Oh it’s beautiful!” exclaimed Rose. “It’s another land and looks just like my dream!”
“What do you see there?” shouted Lucky, who began to jump up and down excitedly.
“The sky is the most brilliant blue,” said Rose, “With little puffy white clouds floating by… Oh, I feel like I can almost reach out and touch one! There is a green meadow full of flowers… And I can see a castle in the distance. Is it real?” asked Rose.
“It’s your Dream Catcher,” said Lucky, his eyes shining bright. “You wove your dreams into the web as you slept. What else can you see?”
“There is a long, winding road through the meadow with a forest on either side,” said Rose. “On the edge of the forest is a small, white house. It has a lovely garden full of red, yellow and white roses. It looks like home!”
Just then, the door to the house opened and a woman came out with a basket. She went into the garden and began to gather roses from her garden.
“That’s your mother,” said Lucky, who was now sitting next to Rose on the tree branch. “And look, there is your father.” Rose recognized her father instantly as he came out from the forest with his axe in hand. Before she knew what she was doing she called out to him. He turned in her direction but couldn’t see her.
Rose’s eyes welled with tears. “I want to be there more than anything,” she said.
“Just close your eyes and imagine you are there. That’s all you need to do,” said Lucky.
“Will you come with me?” asked Rose.
“No, my job is done,” grinned the little green man, then he jumped down from the tree and disappeared into the forest.
Rose closed her eyes and imagined her dream. She saw the little white house, the red, yellow and white roses, her mother and father, and a path leading off into the hills toward the distant castle. She could feel the warmth of the sun on her face and the warm breeze as it rippled across the tall meadow grass. A tickle on her face made her open her eyes and a golden butterfly flew away. She followed it as it crossed the meadow, stopping here and there on a flower, then flying off again as soon as Rose came near.
Finally she came over a hill and saw the little white house with her mother and father in the garden. Overjoyed she called out to them and ran into their welcoming arms. As they embraced, Rose’s pockets emptied of all her treasures and they all three rejoiced and lived happily ever after until the end of their days.
Caught in the Web
Rose moved swiftly through the forest to keep up with the sprightly, little man. She was glad for the moonlight that lit the path through the trees, and for the warm blanket protecting her from the scratching branches...
(Read the previous episode here)
Rose moved swiftly through the forest to keep up with the sprightly, little man. She was glad for the moonlight that lit the path through the trees, and for the warm blanket protecting her from the scratching branches.
Finally they arrived at a small clearing in the woods. In the centre was a large stump covered in bits of fur, blood and bones.
Rose shuddered. She wanted to run from the clearing as fast as she could, but Lucky stopped her.
“The Old Woman will soon be here. Quick, throw your blanket up into the trees!”
Rose did as he told her and threw it as high as she could. The blanket opened and stretched across the clearing like a huge web, it’s silvery-blue yarn invisible in the moonlight.
Just then they heard branches snapping and the Old Woman came traipsing along, dragging a squealing pig by the tail. As she came into the clearing, she let out a horrendous shout and the little pig, suddenly free, darted past Rose and disappeared into the woods.
“Look!” said Lucky, "The Old Woman is caught in the web!"
It was a sight to see! The more the Old Woman struggled, the tighter the web wrapped around her. Soon she was motionless but for her screeches and venom-filled rants.
Rose was terrified, but Lucky reassured her.
“The sun is coming up,” he said, “she can’t live in the light.” And sure enough, as the sun came up and lit the clearing with it’s golden rays, the Old Woman began to melt until she disappeared completely from the web...
Dream Weaver
Careful not to wake the Old Woman, Rose pulled out the cloth bag she’d hidden under her bed long ago. Inside the bag was the most beautiful silvery blue yarn that shone like the moon...
(Read the previous episode here)
Careful not to wake the Old Woman, Rose pulled out the cloth bag she’d hidden under her bed long ago. Inside the bag was the most beautiful silvery-blue yarn that shone like the moon.
Rose wondered how she could possibly make a web that was seven feet high and five feet wide from such a small bag of yarn, but the more yarn she pulled out, the more yarn there seemed to be!
And so for seven days, as the Old Woman slept, Rose weaved her magical web. And for seven nights, when the Old Woman went out into the forest, Rose slept under her silvery blanket and wove magical dreams into her web.
Rose’s dream web was now complete and it’s brilliance made the whole room glow with shimmering moonlight.
Forest detail in black and white
“What’s that glare?” the Old Woman said. “It hurts my eyes!”
“That is the moon shining across my bed,” said Rose.
“There must be a hole in the roof letting the light in,” grumbled the Old Woman, “It better be gone by morning or else!” she threatened. Then rubbing her eyes she climbed out from the cave, through the roots at the bottom of the tree, and out into the night.
Rose was frightened. How could she hide the web from the Old Woman? What if Lucky never returned?
Just then she heard the familiar, small voice calling her name.
“You’ve done well Rose,” said Lucky, “but there’s no time to lose. It’s a full moon tonight and the Old Woman won’t stay out long. Throw the end of your yarn up here and climb out.”
Rose pulled out the last of the yarn and threw it up to the little green man at the entrance to the cave. Lucky tied the yarn around a large root and Rose climbed up. The yarn was as strong as steel, yet light as a feather. Together they pulled Rose’s dream web out from the Old Woman’s cave.
“Wrap it around you,” said Lucky. “It will keep you warm and safe in the woods. Now be quick and follow me!” And with that, the little green man disappeared into the dark forest...
