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.
Updated: Oct 4, 2022
Omphalotus Olearius common name Jack ‘o Lantern mushroom is a poisonous mushroom found in woodland areas in Europe and some areas of the Western Cape of South Africa. Some species have bioluminescent (glow in the dark) properties.
This artwork was created using archival fine pigment inks on paper applied with a dipping pen and brushes. Size A6 (147x105mm)
Prints available in the online shop:
This part meditative experience, part ghost tour was one of the exciting live performance events for the ICA Live Art Festival 2022, performed by Chanelle Adams.
About the project
“A Ghost Tour of Camphor Avenue” with Chanelle Adams a part meditative experience, part ghost tour was one of the exciting events for the ICA Live Art Festival 2022.
The Salsa was commissioned to create a map (folded from A3 to A6) and an A6 postcard for the event that the audience would use during the tour.
Part meditative experience, part ghost tour, Camphor Avenue: A Garden of Ghosts is a practice in noticing colonial continuums in botanical gardens and an experiment with face-to-face encounters with ghosts.
The illustration was drawn on paper using a dipping pen and ink. The lines and forms create an eerie ambiance to set the tone for this tour. Originally this was a routine Graphic Design request, but I offered my client illustration as there was no definite choice for the cover at the time and one of my specialities is drawing trees. I also really loved her work and the project and wanted the artwork to reflect the essence of the narrative.
