Evergreen

Salma Price-Nell
Nov 24, 2022
2 min read

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.