Tree of Life. I call it that because it is the drawing that started me off on this creative journey 3 years ago.
My kids were just starting school for the first time after being homeschooled, the oldest one was going into 7th grade. It had been a long time since I had spent time doing art my own personal art and I knew I wanted to start experimenting again. It was a really scary time because I didn’t know what I would do or how I would do it. I just decided to start sketching abstract stuff in my sketchbook everyday for a couple of hours. That was how I started.
In the beginning I would be sketching and then get these blistering headaches and just want to lay down and sleep or eat or do anything but keep going. Somehow I persisted. Anytime a negative thought or feeling came up, I would write it down to analyze and work on later. As I was drawing it, I was terrified of anyone seeing it and constantly felt like I should have been doing other more productive things. All the negative damning stuff inside my head would come bubbly up to the surface and pouring out to do battle with my ego.
Looking at it now, I feel like if there was any drawing that could encapsulate a piece of my soul, this is it. The tree is bent over having submitted to Life/God/the Universe, but still rooted strong and filled with beauty, chaos, harmony, mystery and energy – all the elements that make us human.
