Shimmering Tree Portraits

As a proud tree hugger I celebrate my tree friends by creating shimmering tree portraits that resemble early forms of photography such as daguerreotypes and ambrotypes. When I spend time in nature I am captivated by the way light shimmers through the tree canopy and how sunshine glows through a leaf. I bring these beautiful qualities of light into my work by layering my photographs over metal leaf. The metallic backgrounds glow and change according to light conditions lending the images an ephemeral quality. While I love the physical form of trees it is their symbolic meanings that inspire me most. As I wander outside with my camera I am drawn to solitary trees found on land once covered by forests, now growing amidst farmed fields or in an urban park. These lone trees resonate energies such as determination, shelter and resilience. My encounters with them leave me feeling calm and hopeful. Back in the studio I sift through my images and choose the ones that best capture a tree’s beauty and its signature energy. My hope is that these portraits with their evocative combination of form and meaning bring the viewer a sense of peace and a deeper connection to trees and nature.