Portrait of a Tree

While this post takes a look at some incredibly stunning tree photography by artist Myoung Ho Lee (tree art posts are some of my favorites), it is personally devastating. Let me explain. For some time now, I have been cultivating a super-secret idea for a photography project that I'd like to undertake "some day" when I get the time and funding. Just last week, I disclosed my idea to Kevin and we were discussing the feasibility. After I listed off all my hang-ups and excuses, he said "apply for a grant! just go for it! do it!" And I was pleased that he liked my super-secret idea. But that's when it first occurred to me to do a Google search for "tree portraits."

Trees have personality! Character! They communicate. And they are immensely beautiful. And to attempt to capture their beauty and form by constructing an enormous backdrop and then photographing the solitary tree – as if in a studio, but still out in the middle of nature – well. There you have it. My secret creative project idea. Laid out to you before it's even been done...er...except that...It HAS been done.

A quick internet search brought me to the Tree exhibition at Yossi Milo Gallery, and there I saw these wonderful photos by Myoung Ho Lee that I wish I had taken. Here was my own idea, already executed - beautifully - by a South Korean gentleman just 4 years my senior. I was devastated. AND. To make matters just a little bit worse, I realized the show was last year, right here in New York. I could have gone.

I don't know. I guess I'm being overly dramatic. I'm just sad I'll never be able to see this project through and get credit for it. Or, maybe I'll do a similar project some day - but would it be seen as copyright infringement? Whatever. You heard it here first. I had the idea before I saw his work, though it will never seem original to the world. Oh well.

This has NOT kept me from truly appreciating the beauty of Mr. Lee's photography. I love it. Read more about it here.

Bravo, fine sir. Your trees are lovely.

A Partridge in a Pear Tree

The holiday season is a time when you may hear an awful lot of singing about Pear Trees. With Partridges in them. I don't know why. There are conflicting stories about the origins of the Twelve Days of Christmas, and I don't want to join the debate.

But I do want to share my discovery of an espaliered Pear tree that lives in the glorious Cloisters in Manhattan. What, you may ask, is an espaliered tree? Well, I've just now learned that to espalier is to train a tree (generally a fruit tree, it seems) to grow in a pattern or shape, flat against a wall or lattice. A 2-D tree! Basically this might be perfect for my future Brooklyn garden. But it also seems to have been rather popular in medieval times. In any case, the Cloisters is a wonderful secret haven in northern Manhattan that is a home to amazing medieval European art and architecture. And trees. The gardens are not particularly big, but they are immensely charming and satisfying. And peaceful. Oh, to be a monk. And there are pear trees. Also, you can follow the Cloisters Garden blog here.

Paris, Je t'adore!

Oh! My dear friends. I've just returned from a vacation with my friend Emily to the oh-so-enchanting city of Paris! It really is as wonderful as in the movies and your dreams. Here is a look at how the Parisians do "les arbres."

These pretty smooth trees with the funny hanging fuzz balls are everywhere:




And I do believe I've correctly identified them as "London Plane" trees - a close relative - if not a hybrid – of the American Sycamore and the "Oriental Plane."

Next, Some beautiful October leaves at the Jardin du Luxembourg:



The best place for tree sightings, however, was at the immensely beautiful and breathtakingly extravagant Palace of Versailles. In the gardens there were rows of citrus trees, "Dr. Seuss-like" clipped (topiary) trees (which should be considered "tree art," I think), "square" trees, tall graceful trees, and many more. (I don't know why the French are so obsessed with geometric trees. It's dreadfully unnatural, but fascinating, nonetheless). All were living amidst sculptures and fountains. Glorious! I could spend a week there! Indulge:

Tree Museum! And other tree works by Katie Holten

Terrific discovery of the day: A "Tree Museum" that is also a public art project!! How incredibly perfect. So, of course, sometime between now and October 12th I'll be heading up to the Bronx to listen to the trees. And then I'll share my discoveries.

Here's what I know. The Tree Museum is a public art project by artist Katie Holten, who seems to be at least as enamored with trees and art as I am. Perhaps more so. Her work ranges from drawings to installation art to public projects involving living plants. Her work addresses the themes of "permanence, disappearance and environment" and she is interested in "how people make sense of and cope with their surroundings" (see LMAKprojects).

Here are some examples of her works that involve trees, of course:


New York Trees I


Trees of the U.S.A. III


Paths of Desire


Ghost Forest

Bonsai - the smallest trees of the new year

Have any of you noticed that I've never posted about bonsai? How can this be? I think I was waiting for the perfect bonsai situation to present itself, which it did – this past weekend at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. Though, from the looks of the photos on their site, I'll have to visit again in April and again in the fall. Even bonsai trees bloom in the spring and change colors in autumn!

What's not to love about bonsai?
1) they are miniature
2) they are works of art
3) they are trees
Plus, they usually come in cool ceramic pots and frequently have tufts of spongy moss growing at the base.

They are beautiful. And cute! Bonsai are so exquisitely manicured and pruned so that some of these less-than-two-feet-tall little trees are actually over 100 years old. It's really quite amazing. Looking closely at a bonsai, I sometimes wish I were the size of a fairy so I could sit underneath one of them and take a nap. That moss would be so soft! bonsai surely must be the smallest trees of their kind in the world.

"Bonsai" refers to little trees in pots...and the art to coaxing a tree to age without growing big has to do with trimming both the leaves and roots. But there is more than just careful clipping involved: Bonsai "demands a spiritual involvement" by the artist. Julian Velasco, curator of the Brooklyn Botanical Garden bonsai collection, says that "the stronger the connection between artist and tree, the more the artist can bring out in that particular tree." The creator has a very intentional role, using wire to gently guide the trees into position.

There's much more to be said and learned about bonsai, but for now let's just enjoy them as works of art, shall we?

like a whisper

Ack! It is high time for some tree art.
These are some fine-art photos that I stumbled upon. They are so quiet. So spacious. This is the work of Lou Raizin, an "emerging artist" according to VERVE Gallery and I don't know much else about Lou.

Enjoy!

Ansel Adams

Today's featured artist is Ansel Adams - a master of breathtaking black and white landscape photography. I've collected several of his famous tree photographs here.

Adams was a pianist, photographer, writer and environmentalist born in San Francisco in 1902. He loved nature from a very young age and spent a great deal of time hiking, exploring and photographing in Yosemite National Park and the Sierra Nevada. Adams was devoted to conservation issues, and fought hard to protect areas of American wilderness from development. He also worked to promote photography as fine art and played a role in establishing the first department of photography at the MOMA.

See more photos here and here.




I hope that my work will encourage self expression in others and stimulate the search for beauty and creative excitement in the great world around us.

- Ansel Adams (1902-1984)

Egon Schiele

Today's featured artist is Egon Schiele, who lived from 1890 to 1918, and then died of the flu (I'm so glad I didn't live back then). He was young and Austrian. The themes of his work were often death and sex, and many of his paintings are twisted and erotic. He did many self-portraits and looking at his work, you might form an image of the quintessential "tortured artist."

Schiele was heavily influenced by his friend, Gustav Klimt - another wonderful, intriguing painter.

I am choosing, of course, to highlight his few minimalist paintings of trees - some of the best tree art I've seen. More of his work can be seen here.

Emily Leonard

Today's featured artist is Emily Leonard.
Emily is “always looking for a place that hints of both past memory and future awareness.” In one of her artist statements, she describes her thoughts about space and spaces; spaces between people, places, objects... I've not seen any of these paintings in person, but my sister has, and found them "personally moving." Check out more of Emily's work: www.emilyleonard.com.

henrie

Today's featured artist is Cary Henrie. I just absolutely love his paintings. I fell in love with them on a visit to a gallery in Seattle and have been wishing I could imitate his work ever since, just to have a painting like this hanging in my house (because I'm sure I can't afford one of his). Henrie's work is even more amazing in person. The texture on the canvas is incredible, and of course I am drawn to the trees...They are peaceful. Beautiful.
see more of his work here and here and here.