The Tree that Bends

"The Tree That Bends Doesn't Break"

I was inspired by this phrase which was on a yoga calendar hanging on my fridge last year. I wanted to capture this message before the month ended so immortalized it (hopefully!) in this painting.

If you are soft and flexible, you are actually stronger than something hard and rigid. Things that are rigid break in the wind and it is hard to put something back together that is broken. If you can be fluid and able to bend and adapt, you will be able to weather the storm and spring back into place after it passes.

Stress makes us so tense and rigid! When we are stressed we try to control things even more to compensate, but this restriction actually makes us more tense and prone to breakage. So rather than control, like futile trees in the storm, the objective is resilience.

The colors and movement of the palm create an airy and uplifting vibe.

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The world is full of contradictions and contrasts which intrigue me. As I try to make sense of the world these themes play recurring roles in my life and paintings:

Freedom vs Entrapment, Wild vs Civilized, Exposure vs Mystery, Natural vs Man-made, Imagination vs Reality, and Male vs Female

My life is full of contrasts.

I grew up with three sisters, although when I was young I was a dedicated tomboy with short hair and ninja turtle shirts.

While I was born and raised in the Canadian badlands, I feel most at home on the beach.

​I fulfilled my childhood dream in becoming an animator but I eventually had to face reality- I felt trapped in my life and needed to break free.

​I left orderly Canada behind in pursuit of self discovery in chaotic Italy, a land of extreme contrasts, and a place that runs in my bloodline.

Surfing brought me to Australia where I started a new adventure in motherhood.
I now live in Maroochydore, Queensland with my seven year old daughter.