
The trees are watching! Near Rio Cinto-Mindo Ecuador
“Any fool can destroy trees. They cannot run away; and if they could, they would still be destroyed — chased and hunted down as long as fun or a dollar could be got out of their bark hides, branching horns, or magnificent bole backbones. .” — John Muir
Sometimes a work of art ‘just happens’ as if some invisible hand guides the process. Everything aligns as if magically orchestrated.

Watercolor by Lisa Brunetti – With no pencil prep, I focused on one part of the flower then went straight to painting; the initials strokes of paint slowly evolved into the study of the Thunbergia flowers.
Othertimes a work of art requires preparation and homework, which starts as a spacial gathering of information and honing that data until clarity guides the artist forward.
The Muir quote has always fired my imagination, and I pictured trees frowning in disgust or wide-eyed with fear of being felled or even timidly hiding and peering from behind rocky facades. While pondering ways to illustrate the quote, I began seeking out and studying the twisted growth of mature guava trees – cousins to crepe myrtles – to merge the illusion of limbs and antlers.
To refresh my memory of antlers, a Google search for ‘Mule Deer’ provided ample material for a crash course. My personal files provided hundreds of photos ofceibo trees, perfect models for the torso …

This ceibo -tree image, though dark, provided a believable shape to use to support the antlers.
The idea incubated, and the end result took form in my mind’s eye. After a vague pencil drawing on canvas mapped the idea, the tree with antlers was ready for my undivided attention. I placed the canvas on the floor, where I work best on larger paintings. Like a basketball player about to attempt the winning or losing ‘Free Throw,’ I was about to enter a ‘Do Not Disturb under ANY Circumstance’ mode! This is why, over my painting space, a sign warns, “No Talking Zone.”

From Casa Loca in Jama – to remind visitors that there are times when silence is treasured.

Bananaquit Visits the ‘Temporary’ Studio Space in Mindo!
I mixed the acrylic colors for the primary wash and placed fresh water, palette and brushes beside the canvas. With intense concentration, I began working the colors wet into wet while racing the half-hour of time it would take before everything began to dry.
“Lee-SAH!” Candy, my sweet neighbor called from below!
“Lee-SAH! Lee-SAH!” her two precious boys helped pull me from my focus while they knocked on the back-door entrance to the apt and to their home. They did not have their key!

Candy and her oldest son, Oliver
“One minute, one minute!” I shouted through a closed door and hoped my voice traveled down the stairs…. working the pigment into the wash, dark in front of light, and light in front of dark, I wondered how to slam on the brakes… It must be a bit like maneuvering the rapids in a canoe and someone shouts, ‘Wait!’
I nudged the paint into a watery area, and with brush in hand, I dashed downstairs and opened the door. In a foggy painting trance, I apologized and motioned to my brush and turned to race back to the work. She also apologized and also invited me to have lunch with them — I begged off and said, ‘Half an hour?’
At least an hour later I reached a stopping point!
Like trying to return to a dream, I lost the rhythm and focus. I reminded myself to be grateful that my neighbors are kind and generous people and are forever doing nice things for me. I was thinking about everything except the painting and made several goofs. It was time to stop!
“Sometimes it’s as if some invisible hand guides the process,” and other times that magical gift evaporates.
Hopefully the tree will be finished before I leave for Yachana but if not, the Muir Tree will be waiting when I return!
.
Oh I so followed your thought process here Lisa.. and when we are in that Zone its as if an unseen hand guides our own.. I so know this.. And when someone disturbs you, the thread is lost, and you may as well take a rest for a while, as its then the mistakes start..
Its lovely that you have such a kind and thoughtful neighbour..
And so loved the Tree with Antlers. And your watercolour just beautiful.. The trees near you are so beautifully shaped..
I think I would be memorised…
Happy Painting.. and again so love that quote.. xxxx ❤
Thank you, and yes, you definitely understand… a break is often needed anyway.
Our wise father once stated, “Imagine how empty your life would be if no one called or came by” and I often remember his wisdom,which helped me soar over that hurdle of frustration… Yes, I am blessed to have so many sweet people who dote on me… my art will always be there, but they might not…
So true… Enjoy your neighbours and mix in a little painting lol.. xxx ❤ xxx
I worked on photos and posts today, but my neighbors were super quiet! they probably assumed i was painting and wanted to be sure they didn’t disturb me.
i think i’ll make a fun little flag and stick it outside when i’m painting.. then they’ll know when it’s ok to say, “LeeSAH!”
haha.. I loved that, and I nearly put in my comment to you LeeSAH… LOL.. 🙂 and the flag a great idea..
You may call me ‘LeeSAH’… and yes, i should design a fun flag, one that makes everyone smile… thank you!
🙂 Have a lovely weekend LeeSAH.. lol.. Love and Hugs xxx
Tree photos are excellent…alive in more ways than one! Oh yeah, and so is the painting!
Si, that one was surely wriggling and demanding its own voice. It’s nice when the fighting stops, and the painting wins the battle! Then it becomes effortless..
Beautiful works Lisa, so meaningful 🙂
Thank you so much! Yes, we need to treasure our trees, especially the ancient ones!
I was born in northern Transylvania, where comparing people and aspects of life to trees was part of our thought heritage. To this day I could profile a person by using only tree elements…
We learnt respect and strength by relating to oaks, sorrow from willows, love from birches, dignity from pines…
We called forests our brothers…
I can therefore so much relate to your passion 😇
What a beautiful comment! It’s so beautiful it deserves its own post and it’s own unique illustrations.
thank you so much for sharing that insight…
You had me thinking, thank you Lisa…
It would be really nice to hear more…. I feel like a child at a campfire while the ‘elders’ share stories of ‘once upon a time.’
The painting of the Thunbergia flowers! Beautiful. I tried to photograph some in hmmmm, Mexico I think it was – didn’t quite get the shot I wanted.
Alison
The Thunbergias are very special, aren’t they? When I started painting it, I thought, Oh my, I’ve chosen a challenging subject.. but ‘sin distractions’ it’s just one tiny segment at atime and it all pulls together.
Thanks!!
I felt so close to your tree. Last night I used my new camera to take a picture of the sleeping fig tree outside my window. Its bare branches form a similar pattern to yours with just a promise of new leaves on the tips. Strange how so many of us see the same images.
That is so sweet of you to share that with me! Thank you!
I can picture that fig, especially with the help of your description….
I wonder if the trees know that they have a power to pull like-minded people into clusters… ha, for sure they know!
What’s a tree between friends? 🙂 🙂
I suspect we could all be handed pen and paper, and asked to write about trees.. and we’d write and write and write and write! your question reminds me of a dr. suess opening line to a great poem/story!
My follow up’s not so great though 🙂 🙂 Hugs, darlin!
Delightful — as usual.
Thank you, Hugh! It’s a comfort when our familiar cheerleaders give a nod of approval to confirm we’re doing ok! I’m glad you like the tree!
Those thunbergia lady slippers are stunning. Where I lived for a while in Zimbabwe they were growing on the patio outside my bedroom door and would spill nectar on my head as I came in at night. I have tried unsuccessfully to grow them several times here in Australia, you would think the climate was perfect, but no luck. Named after Carl Thunberg a Swedish botanist. He also named a pretty little pest vine we call the Black-eyed Suzie. I like it but it can be a real invasive nuisance. Have a good time away and come back refreshed. Looking forward to seeing more of your paintings!
” Named after Carl Thunberg a Swedish botanist. He also named a pretty little pest vine we call the Black-eyed Suzie. ” Thank you so much for that information. I always paused at that ‘n’ in thunbergia and wondered the origins of the word… the black-eyed suzie also grows here .. thrives on neglect but doesn’t get invasive…
what a fun story about the flowers baptising you in the evening.. that’s a sweet way to return inside, as if an angel was watching and guarding you……
A-ha… yes I know exactly the feeling but I like to think [afterwards] that there’s a reason for these interruptions. Maybe next time you go back to your beautiful tree the dream will come back tenfold! Or [has happened to me] next time you go back you realize it is finished! 😉 Either way, happy creating, my dear friend! xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Very nice feedback and yes, perhaps there was a reason… paulo coehlo addresses that in ‘the valkryes’… it’s a very slight part int he story but it burns strong in what i liked about the book…
thank you, kind and beautiful talented one!!!
ha.. time for a postscript: i returned to that tree painting yesterday, and new interruptions jumped aboard! go figure.. it grows in short little sessions.. hopefully today will give a few hours w/o interruptions!
beautiful flowers and the antler tree is already stunning… hmmm, I think I do need to make a “no talking zone” sign 🙂 Started to repair the paintings that were injured in the earthquake, lots of walls here in our “new” home that are crying out for a splash of color, love and hugs amiga
the sign helps a lot because when people comment, the ‘problem’ is ddressed, and it helps the to become more sensitive about respecting the artist’s need for a healthy work environment. i’ve decided i should make a fun flag and poke it outside the window near the door when i want to work undisturbed… then my downstairs neighbors won’t be wondering’ is she painting? should we call her or not?” they often share what they’ve coked with e, so that ‘lee-SAH’ is part of a normal soundtrack here…
oh yes, it’s time to get that happy art onto the walls!
Wonderful shots of trees, and I really like the tree you started. Wonderful neighbors!
the guava trees are so special; the wood is very strong, the fruts nice and high in vitamn c, and the leaves make a great emergency ‘tea’ for lower gi food/related issues..,yes, our neighbors teh birds; our neighbors the trees.. we could all try to do more to acknowledge their specialpresence!
I love it – it’s a perfect antlertree morph. And thank you for the comment you left recently – made me teary – you touch my heart Lisa. Have a wonderful trip!
Ah, your words confirm that you have the tenderness of one of those lovely pink blossoms.. thank you…
yes, the trip will be nice, and you would surely love being immersed in that landscape!
Ah, I could feel your conflicted emotions….the artist’s idea tenuously taking shape in real time, at the very moment when the artist’s “village” comes calling. Yikes! I hope, if interrupted yet again, your lovely tree will lure you back for a grand finish. It looks really cool so far.
Si, and that village is populated with such wonderful people! I’ve been ‘out’ with them this morning — from one lovely experience to the next.. The tree is patiently waiting!
Hi Lisa — Thanks for sharing your creative process with us. I am not an artist in the same way that you or my younger son is but I so appreciate being shown how an artist’s mind/heart/eye/soul creates. The massive ceibo tree is impressive indeed. The tree “aggressors” in Muir’s quote might think twice before taking on a ceibo tree, certainly a ceibo tree with a rack of antlers. LOL
Now, the thunbergia flowers are at the other end of the spectrum, as delicate and intricate as the ceibo tree is strong and almost “muscled” in appearance. To bring both of these subjects into one post gives me much to munch on.
Blessings, Dear Heart, Alia
Thank you for your insightful comment! I’m glad you liked the pairing of the delicate and the strong, the ‘easily painted’ and the one that was/is challenging!
Equal blessings to you!
There are so many stories hidden in the branches of trees. I find talking to trees refreshing – I know they keep secrets safe. Many hugs coming from Vancouver where the trees are enjoying our rainy season.
Your first sentence prompted a fantasy image, with a realistic painting of limbs and when one takes a closer look it’s a tangle of images… The second sentence is worthy of being in all of the ‘quote’ collections about trees!
You are simply wonderful!!! Hugs!!!
That is going to be a wonderful looking tree-antler. And I do understand the dilemma between being caught in creative flow and still having to functioning with people and neighbours who only wants one’s best. 🙂
You would definitely understand that dilemma, and you have surely been on the receiving end of the kindness/thoughfulness of others.
Candy just brought a little plate of guacamole and chips!
Will be Yachana bound in about two hours…
I love the quote by John Muir, and your artwork is great, I love the tree. I know you said it isn’t finished, but if I hadn’t known that I would have seen it as a wonderfully simple picture. I might have looked for a single squirrel or a bird somewhere!
Many times my intentions are wonderfully simple, and the painting decides that it deserves its own unique voice! This one, however I hope will be sort of a tromp l’oeil where the brain does a back and forth – what am i really seeing here – a tree or antlers 0r — what is this?
Si some creatures will probably beg to be part of the illusion!
Wow there are so many beautiful things in this post…. the flower amazing, the trees magical and the sweetness you shared by being interrupted…. glad u regained ur focus. better than me. lol
Thank you for such a kind and genuine comment! I am presently in the upper Amazon, and yesterday we visited a huge ceiba tree growing near the lodge.. it is a very impressive and magical tree..
Wow!… I would love to put my hands on that tree close my eyes and feel it’s story.
More research: I found out that what you quoted from Muir appeared as the beginning of the last paragraph in an essay he wrote for The Atlantic Monthly in 1897:
http://tinyurl.com/k9b9u97
Yeah, well, what I wanna know is how the heck you get watercolor flowers to leap off the surface into 3D space! Even in just a photo of it! To me, a hobbyist scribbler, all art and music are miracles. Like the way we feel about standing close to thunderous roaring waterfalls; it doesn’t make sense, too amazing. I wonder if animals feel it, too?