One of the reasons I began a (nearly) daily blog of an image of my art or a photograph that celebrates nature is to revisit work that I didn’t give much attention to after making. I’d rather move on to making more art than talk about it. This is how it ends up lying in my flat file waiting for wildfires to rage westward during a Santa Ana wind event and consume it rather than hanging on a patron’s wall being appreciated.
Trees pervade my work. Often their outlines are only alluded to in my dreamscapes, other times they’re more defined like in this piece. It’s all about what I feel like working on in the moment and how. Like most of my tree-inspired art, this was a take on a particular live oak I’ve paid my respects to repeatedly. It’s growing in Tecolote Canyon Natural Park near downtown San Diego. Clearly I took liberty with the piece and added ignes fatui (foolish fire), or will-o'-the-wisp, known for leading travelers astray in some folklore.
The original mixed media painting is available and prints on a variety of surfaces may be purchased by tapping on the image if you’re interested.
World Tree with Ignes Fatui. 2014. Transparent watercolor and powdered soft pastel on 300lb hot press paper. 14" x 18" (36 x 46cm).