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)
Celebrating Forest Week
It’s a beautiful September day… The sun is shining and the air is clear with that crisp, autumn feeling… The leaves are changing colours and starting to fall… Change is in the air. I think this may be my favourite time of year! It’s also National Forest Week and I’m celebrating…
It’s a beautiful September day… The sun is shining and the air is clear with that crisp, autumn feeling… The leaves are changing colours and starting to fall… Change is in the air. I think this may be my favourite time of year!
The Magic Tree
It’s also National Forest Week and I’m celebrating the forest and my love of nature!
I live in a large city, but I’m fortunate to live close to the ocean and forest so that within a few minutes, I can be hiking in the forest or swimming in the sea… Nature is what fills me up, inspires and nurtures me!
And it’s the beauty of nature that inspires my art and creativity.
Both visually and symbolically, the forest provides a powerful and beautiful subject, stirring a deeply rooted connection with nature. My current work, Forest Tales, is a series of paintings with a story to tell, each painting taking the viewer on a fairytale journey into their imagination, and awakening their connection to spirit through the beauty of art and nature.
There are many different ways we can protect and support our environment. One way I decided to give back is to donate $1.00 for every product sold (that’s one tree planted!) and donate $100 for every large painting sold (that’s 100 trees planted!). It’s one small way I can contribute to protecting and nurturing nature.
“The earth is what we all have in common.”
In partnership with One Tree Planted
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
Green Therapy
I have a new appreciation for green.
There is so much green here... And it feels especially brilliant in the northern light. Even walking in the woods on a cloudy day, the soft, mossy green everywhere seems to light up the forest from within...
I have a new appreciation for green.
There is so much green here... And it feels especially brilliant in the northern light. Even walking in the woods on a cloudy day, the soft, mossy green everywhere seems to light up the forest from within.
I think it truly is a healing colour.
So I made a little green therapy video... en-Joy!
I use a lot of greens and blues in my flower and nature paintings, although the painting is not usually about the blue or the green (they're not the "star" colours). I use greens and blues as background colours that support and enhance the others (they're the "supporting characters"). For me they're more neutral and relaxing so you can see more of them (can you imagine a green flower in a field of red grass?!).
Below is a painting I created from a peak into a tiny garden world... It's like a tropical jungle of colour and the painting is anything but tiny! It is my largest painting to date... (scroll down for description)
Three Graces, 48" x 72", oil on canvas
The vibrant and lush paradise of a tiny garden world of dancing flowers and hidden creatures swimming in greens and blues… Each flower becomes a figure and character of its own. These irises make me think of sisters dancing. It reminds me of dancing with my two sisters as young women growing up… expressing… in joyful, playful fun… And so I called this painting Three Graces.
This week I'm featuring 10% off all Three Graces items in the Boutique (for subscribers only).
Not a subscriber? You can sign up to my MuseLetter for weekly specials, updates, news and musings...
Enchanted
My latest painting 'Enchanted' will be on display during the North Shore Art Crawl, March 5th and 6th, before moving on to its new home (overlooking the forest) in West Vancouver...
My latest painting 'Enchanted' will be on display during the North Shore Art Crawl, March 5th and 6th, before moving on to its new home (overlooking the forest) in West Vancouver.
As always with a large painting that takes time to create... there is a story behind the picture. Or rather, from within it. And the story is revealed to me as I paint...
It's called 'The Seven Witches and the Keys to the Kingdom', but you'll have to stay tuned for episode one...
Enchanted 36" x 60" oil on canvas
My Secret Forest
I've been busily painting away... Preparing for a show, creating new designs, and moving to a new studio this month. It's easy to fall into overwhelm.
The more I have to DO, the more I need to BE...
My Secret Forest
I've been busily painting away... Preparing for a show, creating new designs, and moving to a new studio this month. It's easy to fall into overwhelm.
The more I have to DO, the more I need to BE.
My inspiration comes from nature and the magical world of my imagination, so luckily I have nature on my doorstep...
The forest is my muse.
Forest Painting (detail), work in progress
New Designs!
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...
The Old Woman of the Forest
Just then there was a knock at the cottage door.
The Woodsman opened the door and an old woman entered. She was as ancient as the trees with her leathery skin, and stood just three feet tall. As she came in the room her dark, green cloak trailed bits of branches and tree roots behind her. She smelled of earth and moss and had a long dirty tail...
(You can read part one from last week here.)
Just then there was a knock at the cottage door.
The Woodsman opened the door and an old woman entered. She was as ancient as the trees with her leathery skin, and stood just three feet tall. As she came in the room her dark, green cloak trailed bits of branches and tree roots behind her. She smelled of earth and moss and had a long dirty tail.
The old woman gazed around the cottage until her small, beady eyes rested on the sleeping Rose.
“The forest folk will mind your roses, but on one condition. You must promise me your daughter when she turns thirteen."
The Woodsman was at a loss without his wife and in anguish he thought to himself, “I cannot look after her. She will be better off without me.” And so he agreed.
With that the old woman disappeared into the forest as quickly as she came.
Soon it was Spring. The Woodsman went off to the forest every day to do his work, while the fairies and other forest folk minded the baby and tended to the cottage and garden. When summer arrived the red, yellow and white roses blossomed around the cottage once again and little Rose played happily in the garden alongside the animals, birds and flower fairies of the forest.
The Woodsman and his daughter lived happily in their cottage in the woods and the years passed by until one day Rose turned thirteen...