Tag: Folk Art

Trees

I noticed the other day, we have tree images in every room in our house. We never planned it that way.

This canvas print of the Sycamore Gap tree, that was felled by vandals last year in Scotland, hangs in our foyer.

I do love trees. And I do love nature.

A water color by local artist Kathy Miller…of trails on St. Olaf campus. This painting hangs in our dining room.

I love birds and critters, sky and clouds, flowers and trees, sunrises and sunsets.

My own artwork, while creating art with my granddaughter. I hung it on the refrigerator! 😉

I try to be out in nature whenever possible, and I try to bring some of it indoors. 

These three metal trees hang in our sunroom.

I took photos of my tree images to share. They are as varied as live trees themselves.

Another metal sculpture that hangs in our living room area.
Also in our living room – an old piece of folk art – a jewel tree made by my late Auntie Doll.

And I am reminded of the “tree poem” by Ilan Shamir that “gives advice from a tree.” The poem is often abbreviated, and seen on bookmarks or plaques.

And this photo of the Lake Superior shoreline hangs in our bathroom.
This metal piece is in our bathroom.
Advice from a Tree

Stand tall and proud.
Go out on a limb.
Remember your roots.
Drink plenty of water.
Be content with your natural beauty.
Enjoy the view.

The entire, beautiful Advice from a Tree poem gives even more advice. You can read it here.

This back-lit tree plaque hangs above the fireplace during winter months.
A print of an illustration from a children’s book, hanging in our bedroom.

Truthfully, there are even more tree images (and flowers and birds and…) around our house. We were surprised when we realize how many we had hanging around, or should I say, standing tall.

Decorating for Christmas

Our family celebrations will not be held in our home this Christmas, so we decided to keep our house decorating to a minimum. A few touches here and there, with table clothes and poinsettia, greenery, wreath and a manger scene. However, there is a new-to-us decoration we inherited this year that I have set above the fireplace mantel that will stand in for our Christmas tree. 

Last summer I inherited several boxes of my aunt’s belongings. Amongst the many photos, jewelry, dishes and Norwegian knick-knacks in the boxes, I discovered a striking jeweled Christmas tree art piece. 

I remembered it. Years ago, one of my other aunt’s had made several different jewelry boxes and art pieces using glittery, costume jewelry…the kind that twinkle and sparkle, glisten and shine. All very glitzy! 

When I found this Christmas tree (and a jewelry box) I asked my cousins if they wanted these pieces their mother had made; they said no. So, I decided to keep them for myself. 

I admit, I do like a bit of sparkle! I love the twinkle of Christmas tree lights, rays of sunshine glistening on a lake, art glass that shines, the flicker of hot coals in a camp fire…this dazzling tree. I like the way the jewels shimmer when the light catches them (even though I can’t capture it in a photo). I like the fact that my aunt made it many years ago.

It’s an interesting – and beautiful – piece of folk-art, created by someone I loved. 

I will enjoy this piece on my fireplace mantel during this Christmas season, alluring me into the Christmas spirit, and bringing back memories of my extended family of Christmas’ past.