Evergreens like this remind me of vast forests and perhaps of Christmas.
This artwork was a commission inspired by Great Northwestern Evergreen Trees and although the detail of the individually drawn green needles is beautiful and visually captivating, what lies beneath may be more interesting.
The exposed roots allow us to see this normally hidden part of the tree. Root networks are fascinating as they not only draw in water and nutrients they also are able to communicate and are reminiscent of a neural network. Do they also operate as such?
Scientists are now discovering that trees have their own sort of nervous systems that facilitate memory, learning and communication. What does that mean for the consciousness of trees? Do they become more conscious (if conscious at all) the wider and more intricate their root systems become? And when they connect with other trees and fungi could they be merging consciousnesses like they do their resources?
When it comes down to it, we are all one but we have become disconnected by placing our awareness more in the mind than in the physical here and now. Our roots have become so exposed that we are no longer connected to the present and so we experience anxiety (attention in the future) and depression (attention in the past). I've become aware of how modern society gives its attention to the wills of the mind and how so much understanding is lost as we get pulled further into the 'Metaverse'.
So let this artwork be a reminder to ground yourself to create stability within and to also nurture connection with those around you so that you may share resources and ideas to create harmony without.
I welcome you to be part of the conversation, share your thoughts in the comment section below. I'd love to hear them!
Thanks for reading!
Take good care of yourself,
Salma
As the seasons change in September, I think about the seasons of life in its many forms.
In the seasons where we burn bright, we may think that is what life is ‘supposed to be like’, and when we experience darker days we tend to think that there is something ‘wrong’ with it. When winter begins, we don’t think that there is something wrong because we know that this is the natural cycle and winter is just as important and as necessary as summer (and can be just as wonderful depending on how you look at it).
High energy can’t be sustained, there has to be a time of rest and deep rest can’t be sustained either, that is why we start to feel either uncomfortable, bored or that something is ‘wrong’ so that we are motivated into action once again.
The secret to finding harmony is to hold 2 ends of the same idea (light and dark, hard and soft), understand and appreciate them equally and then learn the balance between them. That’s what allows life to exists on this planet, we are balancing in a sweet spot of the cosmos. Ever progressing forward in a delicate dance of testing boundaries and staying safe. Like pushing the boundaries of our industriousness and then pushing back when we realise our climate is in danger as a result and then changing directions to find a balance by being industrious with the opposite side of the spectrum in mind. And so we go on, hurtling through space.
So when things don’t go the way we expected them to, it is better to realise and remember that expectation is imagined and what is happening right now is what’s true. You can either step into the current or resist it. The choice is up to you.
Watch the ink painting process
While working on this piece I’ve been thinking about...
While working on this piece I’ve been thinking about how the more stressed we are, the more we tend rely on the instinctive parts of our brain and we become reactive instead of responsive. When we react to external influence we get swept into on a current that pulls us in an undefined direction.
When we are responsive we take pause to consider the outcomes with our goals in mind to figure out what is really essential. Responsivity requires time and intention.
In order to guide our lives to where we want to be we have to step out of the matrix and decide what it is we want and make choices based on how to get there. Stress and overwork in survival mode leads to cognitive fatigue and when we experience this we naturally have less will power than we normally do. So in order to remain disciplined to achieve our goals we need to have a plan and prioritise what’s important. This will mean saying no to some things and finding a balance between busyness and rest.
Sleep is a vital pillar of health and the one I struggle with most. Sleep regulates our entire system from digestion to mental state and even our periods, which is why it’s essential for us to go to bed and wake up at roughly the same time everyday for longevity and so that we can consciously give the best of ourselves instead of taking it out of ourselves.
The colourful yet moody tone of this artwork makes for a beautiful phone wallpaper. Get yours here!
Thanks for reading!
Visit my shop to purchase the original and other artwork and prints.
Take good care of yourself,
Salma
Updated: Jun 30, 2022
The ‘Tree of Presence’ artwork was created using a dipping pen and ink by artist Salma Price-Nell. Salma’s fascination with unravelling and understanding of the interconnectedness of all things has lead her to studying trees.
Trees are the best of us
“Trees are the best of us. They give more than they take. They live for thousands of years because they are in harmony with everything around them. Whether intentionally or by lucky evolution, they have developed idealistic traits that we can learn from to help improve ourselves so that we too may be in harmony with ourselves and everything around us. Traits like patience, strength, resilience, adaptability, presence, selflessness, generosity and many more.
I titled this artwork the ‘Tree of Presence’ because many of the progress video comments were commending my patience when I don’t see it as patience. Patience is defined as : the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious. When I draw it’s not patience that I am practicing, but presence. Being totally focused and consumed by the present moment. It can be meditative and transcending. When I need to practice patience during drawing it is because I am growing impatient and wanting to get to an end. That is when I need to stop because I’m no longer in the present and it shows in the work.
I’d like this drawing to serve as a reminder to live in the present. When we live in the future we suffer anxiety, when we linger in the past we suffer depression. Harmony and peace are found in this moment. I hope that when people look at this tree they will get lost in the details and be totally absorbed in the present moment.”
Videos of this detailed tree drawing went viral on Instagram reels reaching over 10 million people worldwide.
Signed prints of the artwork are available in The Salsa Shop.
