edition of 15
10.5″ h x 10″ w

Tree of Life
Speaks to our souls reminding us of our deep, ancient roots
In the earth and with one another;
Encouraging us to spread our branches and reach for the heavens,
Reminding us to offer a nurturing haven for creatures of air and earth,
To hear their infinite wisdom.

Tree of Life
Invites us to receive the blessings of each new season with wide eyes
And the faith of a child swinging from her branches;
Teaching us to offer shade for the weary, shelter for the homeless,
Food for the hungry.

Tree of Life
Moves us both gently and violently with the wind – the Great Spirit alive;
Nourishing us with fruitful abundance and purity of air,
Sharing in the miracle of birth, life, and rebirth;
Enabling us to climb high and listen quietly,
Confirming the Divine connection of all life in all time.

Tree of Life
Nudges us to grow always, roots stretching deeper
And deeper into harmony,
That we might breathe in the authentic beauty,
Soak in the wisdom, and awaken to the Miracles.

Inspired deeply by my active partnership in saving a beloved foothills palo verde tree, the first vessel in the Tree of Life Series was born and aptly titled Miracles.

Soon after, I sensed a knowing that the vessel would branch out into a series and demand a more permanent medium beyond the clay.  The inherent qualities of bronzes’ patina, coupled with its longevity highly appealed to me.  The aging patinas, I felt, mirrored the visible seasonal changes of both the trees and our personal lives. The patinas enhanced this symbolic entwinement.  The quality of longevity echoed the longevity of trees and their infinite Wisdom and Inspiration.  I was highly energized by the possibility of creating vessels likely to be passed from generation to generation, along with their inherent mystical messages.

Miracles, presented in the clay patina, is the first cast bronze vessel in the Tree Of Life Series and the first cast bronze vessel in my career.  Only three of the fifteen vessels in this first edition were finished with the clay patina. Miracles is a highly significant piece in the complete body of work. It is the visible bridge of my transition period from fired clay bodies into the bronze medium. In the midst of transition, we often cling to parts of the old and familiar, holding an attachment to the seemingly critical pieces of the past. Here, I chose the clay patina to mirror the surface coloration and qualities of the original vessel medium: stoneware clay, with an oxide rubbed finish prior to an oxidation firing. Without touching the actual piece, it can quite easily be mistaken as stoneware.

Soon after, I moved fully and confidently into a new and intimate relationship with the new medium, silicon bronze.  The inherent and organic qualities of the bronze combined with the nature inspired patinas influenced my fertile artistic vision. These patinas have quickly and eloquently evolved into the unique and intricate multi-colored patinas that have today become a highly notable part of my unique signature as a bronze sculptor.